Saving Freya
by Breeze of Summoners
Summary: Freya is being stalked by a mysterious man who is more than he seems. And as things get worse, it turns out this stalking is more than it seems as well. Violence, cursing, blood... PG-13 for a reason. What? Finally finished? How'd I manage!
1. Chapter One

Chapter One  
Burmecia; Main Area; Late Morning  
  
Freya stood atop the roof of an older building. Parts of the stone roof had chipped away from neglect and old age, but most of it stood standing. Rain fell rather harshly to the ground, signifying the fierce winter that was too come. Despite its harshness, though, the rain could not corrode the waterproof paint of the buildings. Something else had done that only a year ago...  
  
Everything in the kingdom was not in Freya's standstill. Burmecians hustled through the streets, carrying stone, wood, and tools. Most of them headed toward the main castle wall, but a few stayed behind and worked on their own houses. Their efforts held determination; not one Burmecian wanted their once gorgeous kingdom to stay in the state it was in: a complete disaster.  
  
Huge walls surrounded the ruined kingdoms. They had been built in three months thanks to everyone's effort. They were strong, gorgeous, and sported a huge iron gate that was operated by two Burmecian soldiers. This iron gate had been built to keep out intruders and prevent another attack. It was a shame they were not being used for that purpose.  
  
"The rebuilding is going well," Fratley commented. He sat on the roof casually, looking across the city.  
  
No response escaped Freya. She stared at the street nine feet below her. She could easily make that jump. She'd made longer jumps before. Yet she could also squash someone flat, and that made her look for a different way to get down from the roof and its gloomy view.  
  
"Bored?" Fratley asked, staring up at Freya. He read her face. "No, not bored. Gloomy. Why? The rebuilding is going well."  
  
"The scars stay," Freya said quietly, sadly.  
  
Fratley stared at Freya for a few moments before he decided she was best alone. Freya carefully walked along the slick roof and stared down into a cramped alley. It was full of boxes, rubble, and other junk. Freya carefully slid into the alley and began to walk through.  
  
Where to go? Each area in Burmecia, especially the alley she walked, showed off the gloom of the city. Freya sighed, staring at the forever cloudy sky. Rain fell onto her face and soon one sleek drop touched Freya's eyes. Freya snorted as she lowered her face.  
  
Aren't you the smart one, she thought to herself. Stare at the rain and blind yourself. Yes, you're smart, all right.  
  
Somehow, Freya felt better. She made her way through the alley and out into the street. She found herself staring at the great iron gate. To her surprise, they were open. Freya gave this some thought; she swore the gatesmen had closed them before they headed off to work.  
  
A slight rush of air behind Freya startled her. Her ears twitched as she heard someone race by. The person was evidently wearing footwear. Freya stared at the iron gate. Had someone unknown entered the city?  
  
The rush of air came, followed by the footsteps. They were closer. Freya tensed, and when she felt the air, she turned around.  
  
Someone plowed his or her fist into her face. Freya staggered backward, startled. She saw the next attack, however, and looked the person in the eye.  
  
They weren't Burmecian. Instead, they were human. Completely clad in black, the male was undistinguishable. His face was hidden except a pair of cold, black eyes where you could not see where the iris ended and the pupil began. Freya could see a sword strapped to his thigh. He reminded Freya of a ninja, and she was evidently his target.  
  
The human rushed to attack Freya, who just managed to dodge.  
  
"Who are you?" Freya asked. She knew that he wouldn't tell, or care to tell, but it didn't hurt.  
  
The human didn't blink. He instead slowly approached.  
  
"I'm hell's guardian," he said coldly. He then kicked Freya hard in the stomach.  
  
Freya slipped and fell. She rolled out of the human's way and took out her spear. She then rushed forward and tried to slash the human with it. The human took out his sword and deflected Freya's attack with ease. He then moved in to slash Freya. Freya held up her spear and was shocked when she was barely able to deflect the attack. She backed up a bit, then took a deep breath. Freya held her spear out in front of her and it began to glow white. The human rushed forward, but the white energy knocked him back. Freya then raced toward the human and slashed him with her charged spear. She was completely caught off-guard when the attack made a mere cut. Thankfully, the extra energy burst made the "wound" slightly larger.  
  
What was going on? Freya was usually an excellent fighter. How come she could only scratch this human?  
  
The human ran towards Freya and moved to cut her chest open with his sword. Freya leapt out of the way. She looked over at the cramped alley gloomily. She then raced out of the human's way and leapt straight into the alley. She couldn't have made a worse move.  
  
The human followed Freya into the cramped alley. Freya was carefully moving over boxes, wondering how she could use the junk to make a barrier. Soon, she saw the remains of a statue that had been moved to the alley. Freya leapt behind it, protecting most of her body. Her head and neck were not protecting, but that was okay. She felt that her move should hinder the human.  
  
The thought was extinguished when the human cast a fire spell and knocked Freya straight into a huge pile of boxes. She and the boxes crashed to the floor. A heavy box slammed into Freya's stomach. Freya let out a soft cry of pain and tried to move. Unfortunately, the box had pinned her.  
  
Freya heard the human walk over and soon saw him staring at her. He then kicked her in the back of the head. Freya's mind spun, and it continued to spin when another kick was delivered. Freya slowly lifted a hand and punched the human. He didn't seem to notice, but he did give Freya an extra hard kick.  
  
Dizzy, Freya managed to lift her feet and place them under the box. She carefully threw the box of her stomach and slid backwards and out of the human's range. Her head smashed into another box, but it was thankfully empty. Carefully, Freya rose to her feet, only to be smacked in the face by the human.  
  
Freya leapt out of the alley and slid onto the ground. She watched the human carefully, only to find him following with absolutely no problems. Freya's eyes narrowed; she was getting frustrated. She rose to her feet and looked for her spear. Her eyes widened when she looked more closely at the human. He had her spear; she had dropped it in the alley.  
  
A few Burmecians stopped walking and stared at the situation with confusion. Their confusion turned to slight panic when the human raced forward and shoved Freya into a building. Freya shook her head and lifted her hand.  
  
"Power of the heavens, release the power of the mighty warriors," Freya shouted.  
  
A dragon symbol appeared under the human's feet, and a dragon spirit plowed through him, sending a fiery explosion. The human snarled with pain, and Freya noted that she had managed to do some damage. Her satisfaction soon faded, however, for the human could still move quickly and attack. He did exactly that; he sent Freya's own spear into her shoulder.  
  
Freya struggled to remove her spear, and received a fist to the head for trying. Soon, however, Freya managed to remove her spear. She quickly put it away, then began to run. She knew she was at a loss.  
  
The human raced forward and plowed his fist into the back of Freya's head. Freya spun on her feet, dizzy, and slammed into the ground. The final crash made Freya's senses fail. She fell unconscious.  
  
The human had little time to celebrate his victory. Three Burmecians drew weapons. The human readied his sword. Before he could do anything, however, a ball of white energy nailed him. He fell to the ground and soon found Fratley standing over him.  
  
"GET OUT OF HERE!" Fratley roared angrily.  
  
The human rose to his feet and stared coldly at Fratley.  
  
"This is only the beginning," he said with hostility.  
  
The human then vanished. Fratley immediately knelt down beside Freya. She was bleeding slightly out of the back of the head. Her face was bruised and swollen, and the side of her head also appeared to be swelling. Fratley hung his head.  
  
"Is she all right?" A Burmecian by the name of Gray asked.  
  
"I don't know..." Fratley said, shaking his head.  
  
Another Burmecian ran into the fray. "What's going on?"  
  
"Freya was attacked," Gray said.  
  
"Well, that is a new one," the Burmecian commented. He looked over at Gray. "Who was the attacker?"  
  
"No idea. Some guy dressed in black. Reminded me of a ninja," another Burmecian named Doyle commented. "Talking in full sentences would probably be most appropriate, Doyle. You're not four," the Burmecian commented.  
  
"Shut up, Puck," an older Burmecian Aireff grunted. "Who are you, King of the World?"  
  
"No, but I am King of Burmecia," Puck said, eyes glowering with annoyance. "I would look into this matter later. When Freya wakes, tell me."  
  
"Yes, 'sir.' I can't believe I'm listening to a kid, 'sir'," Aireff grunted.  
  
"Is it my fault my father died? No. Besides, I'm eleven. That's not exactly a kid," Puck snorted. He looked over at Gray. "Lock the gates."  
  
Puck then walked away. Fratley lifted Freya into his arms and stared at Puck as he left.  
  
"Too bad," he muttered. "He could be spending his life as a kid and not a king..."  
  
Fratley walked away while Aireff turned to Gray.  
  
"You mean the gates aren't locked?" Aireff asked.  
  
Gray fidgeted nervously, staring at the ground.  
  
"I-I didn't think they needed to be locked."  
  
I know, I know, this chapter stinks a bit. I promise I'll try to make the other chapters a bit more interesting and more true-to-personality.  
  
Story copyright to me, characters, setting, world, etc. copyright to Sqaure- Enix, except for those few like Meaner, Julius, and... Well, never mind. Everything's copyright to something, so don't steal. 


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two  
Burmecia; Fratley's House; Mid-Afternoon  
  
Freya woke very slowly. Her mind slipped in and out of consciousness, clearly not deciding what to do. Each time she woke Freya felt groggy and her head felt heavy. Each time her senses failed to cooperate Freya felt rather glad she could retreat to unconsciousness.  
  
Finally, however, Freya's senses operated. Slowly Freya became aware of her surroundings. Softly she groaned, eyelids flickering.  
  
"She's awakening," Fratley said in a soft voice.  
  
Fratley's voice sounded distant at first, but by the end of his speaking it was clearer. As Freya slowly opened her eyes she heard someone walk towards her. Soon, she saw Fratley.  
  
"Are you all right?" Fratley asked gently. Despite Freya's blurry vision, Freya could see the worry in his deep blue eyes.  
  
Freya took a deep breath, then sighed. It was almost automatic, a test to see if she was breathing properly. The deep breath came easily, and left just as smoothly; it inferred no broken ribs or damaged lungs. Freya allowed soft breathing to begin as she tried to focus on Fratley.  
  
"I'm fine," Freya muttered in a quiet whisper.  
  
Fratley nodded slightly and looked away. "Rose, where are you?"  
  
Freya heard more footsteps coming from above. It sounded like someone was descending a staircase. The footsteps soon became on the same level, and the person walked toward Freya.  
  
"I'm sorry, Fratley, I was upstairs. Don't make an old lady try to strain her ears!"  
  
"You're not old, Rose," Fratley pointed out.  
  
"Yes I am," Rose said.  
  
Rose approached Freya and soon appeared in Freya's line of site. Freya could not distinguish the color of her eyes, nor could she see any signs of old age on the female's face or hair.  
  
"He's right. You're not old," Freya said, her voice stronger.  
  
"You're eyesight's going, honey. Look." Rose lifted up some of her hair, which was beginning to look blonde as Freya's eyesight improved.  
  
Freya lifted her heavy head slightly to get a closer look. She squinted and soon could distinguish a different color than blonde mixing in Roe's hair. A silvery color was mixing into the blonde hair.  
  
"I must be old too, then," Freya said wryly.  
  
Rose laughed. "Ya were born with silver hair, honey. Sure shocked the 'ell out of a lot of people too..."  
  
"If you don't mind, I must go consult Puck," Fratley cut in.  
  
"Go ahead," Freya said. She shifted slightly, trying to get into a sitting position, but her body refused to cooperate. "Damn it."  
  
Fratley leaned over and helped Freya. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek in the process.  
  
"Be back soon," Fratley said. He then walked straight through a broken window near the bed.  
  
Rose rolled her eyes. "That's not a door!"  
  
Fratley walked slowly through the paved, chipped streets of Burmecia. He, like all the others, did not notice the cold rain streaking from the endless armada of clouds in the sky. He had one thing on his mind: Freya. The events of earlier had disturbed him. He didn't want it to happen again at all. If Puck had an idea, then he would trust the king, no matter how young he was.  
  
Fratley entered a building that led to the castle gate. He only glanced and nodded at the workers trying to rebuild the building. He swiftly passed through the chipped wooden doors and to the main gate. The damage here was more noticeable, the stone much more ancient. Fratley stepped through the small cubby way and began to walk up the long flight of stairs to the Castle Grounds.  
  
A sneer stopped him.  
  
"Well, it's the ass, stepping through for the first time."  
  
Fratley's blood turned to ice. He whipped his head in the direction of the voice. Standing nearby was a male Burmecian who looked to be in his early 40's. He stared at Fratley coldly, just hiding a smirk.  
  
"How did you manage to find your way here? Oh, wait, I forgot; you never know where you're going. I'm so sorry," the Burmecian snarled.  
  
"Raven, grow up. You're 41, not six," Fratley snarled angrily, trying to keep moving.  
  
Raven's eyes turned colder. "Did you prefer this?"  
  
Raven rushed forward, fist raised. Fratley had expected this, however, and dodged. He did not fight back, though; he knew better.  
  
"Get lost, Raven." Fratley tried to continue his progress.  
  
Raven seemed to be getting aggravated. He followed Fratley, trying to suddenly attack him. Fratley dodged easily and didn't fight back. After a few minutes though, Raven smirked.  
  
"So Freya could beaten, eh? She's a Dragon Warrior and can't even take care of herself? She didn't deserve to be a Dragon Warrior since she's such a weak bitch, and she deserved the beating..." Raven rattled.  
  
"SHUT UP!" Fratley bellowed. "Leave Freya out of this aggravation!"  
  
"Gee, no self-control, eh, Fratley? It's too bad. Not only is strength of the body expected when you're a Dragon Warrior, but strength of the mind too. You have the strength, but no mind. Of course, Freya has neither and that's obvious..."  
  
"Shut up!" Fratley growled, fists clenched.  
  
"Is that violence against another Burmecian I see, Fratley? No wonder you and Freya like each other so much; you both have no common sense and are nothing more than a bunch of shitty-"  
  
Raven never finished. Fratley plowed his fist into the Burmecian's jaw, knocking him to the ground. He then raced up the stairs before Raven could react.  
  
"Do better anger management."  
  
Fratley cursed under his breath; Dimbo Two had arrived.  
  
A Burmecian around his late forties entered. He stared at Fratley sternly.  
  
"This is not the time to be screaming and attacking. Control your anger better or-"  
  
"Shut your trap, Ebon, I don't care. Tell Raven to quit bad-mouthing Freya and maybe you'd see a little less 'anger problem,'" Fratley growled.  
  
"Raven is correct. Freya has no strength in anything. She weak in the body as the beating showed, and has no intelligence since she-"  
  
"SHUT UP, Ebon! You don't hate any women, you ass! Lay off!" Fratley roared.  
  
Fratley stomped off, ignoring Ebon. He had never liked the male. He soon saw Puck near the path leading to the castle. He ran over.  
  
"Get me out of here," Fratley muttered.  
  
Puck nodded. "Don't blame you. I tried to get them to move, but they both said that 'I am too young to have permission to rule them as of yet.' Great dummies, I'm king."  
  
Puck and Fratley walked up to the castle. They entered quickly and sat down in a quiet room.  
  
"Freya's awake?" Puck asked.  
  
"Yes," Fratley answered.  
  
"How is she?"  
  
"She seems a little out of it, but I think she'll be all right."  
  
"Did she say anything?"  
  
"No. She didn't even mention anything. I think..." Fratley took a deep breath. "I think she's trying to ignore the whole thing."  
  
"I don't blame her. Do you think I could see her now?"  
  
"I don't see anything wrong with it. Rose probably got her something to eat or drink..."  
  
"Probably. She's a nice person."  
  
"If nuts."  
  
"Well, yeah, but everyone's like that. Now let's go."  
  
Fratley and Puck rose quickly and left the castle. As they approached the Castle Gate, they were relieved to see Ebon and Raven had left.  
  
"Those two are like two peas in a pod," Fratley said, sighing. "They thrive together. Raven hates Freya, Ebon hates Freya-"  
  
"And every single woman out there," Puck muttered. "Which is absolutely stupid..."  
  
"... hates me, Ebon hates me, heck, they hate and love the same things! Though they mostly hate, they both love to fight..." Fratley said thoughtfully as he and Puck descended the stairs.  
  
"Raven loves to sneak up on people, and Ebon loves strategic fights." Puck glanced up at Fratley. "Sound like something?"  
  
"All too much. Ebon plans attack, Raven does it," Fratley said.  
  
"No no, I'm going further. About today. The beating?" Puck said.  
  
Fratley gave Puck a confused look. Puck sighed with annoyance.  
  
"I'm saying that Ebon may have planned the beating! Perhaps Raven knew someone..." Puck said.  
  
"Raven would've done it himself," Fratley immediately said.  
  
"No, he'd be killed. So he hired someone," Puck pointed out.  
  
Fratley sighed, but said nothing. Puck's proposition seemed all too true, and he didn't want to think that Burmecians might have planned the attack, no matter how stupid the two suspects were. Puck, noticing Fratley's displeasure, dropped the subject. They walked to Fratley's house in silence.  
  
"'Ello!" Rose said as Fratley and Puck entered through the broken window. "That was not broken for ya to use as a doorway!"  
  
"Oh, hush, mamá, you silly fool," Fratley said.  
  
"When we get that window fixed, what are ya going to do?" Rose asked.  
  
"Tear down the window and put in a door!" Aireff declared as he entered the house through the broken window.  
  
"Not while I'm living 'ere!" Rose said.  
  
"Anyway, while they argue, Freya, I'm here to ask some questions," Puck said, sliding over to Freya.  
  
Freya looked up at Puck. "Go ahead." Her voice was strong, her eyesight fine, yet her head still heavy.  
  
"Okay..." Puck took a deep breath and stared at the ceiling. He knew what he had to ask first. He knew what he had to ask. He just didn't want to.  
  
"What did the man look like?" Puck asked, not looking at Freya.  
  
Freya leaned against the bedpost, closed her eyes, and thought. She soon saw the man swimming in her mind.  
  
"Very little could be seen. He was human, with pale skin. He had completely black clothes on, and you could only see his pitch black eyes," Freya explained.  
  
Puck nodded. "And... what weapons did he have?"  
  
"A sword – an odd one at that. It was pitch black and shiny. That was his only weapon..." Freya then sighed. "He didn't need any others."  
  
Puck nodded. He didn't want to ask the next question. It was the worst.  
  
"Why couldn't you keep him away?"  
  
Freya stared at the ground. "I-I couldn't hurt him. Sure, I tried, but nothing hurt him. He didn't even wince. The only thing that even cut skin was Lancer, and all it did was give him a measly cut."  
  
Puck stared at the ceiling. "I see..." Puck then looked over at Fratley. "Would you suggest bodyguards?"  
  
Freya was screaming before Fratley even opened his mouth.  
  
"No bodyguards, Puck! Zip! Nada! None!" Freya cried. "It won't work. It won't help! Don't put anyone else in danger! Didn't you listen to what I said?"  
  
"You could not hurt him... At least, not on your own," Puck growled. "Perhaps if you had a little help, you would be-"  
  
"You don't get it! I was doing virtually everything I could! What am I, nine? Don't bother with bodyguards, Puck! They won't help. DON'T BOTHER!" Freya shouted.  
  
Puck stared at Freya, then looked up at Fratley.  
  
"Fine," he said simply.  
  
Puck rose and left. ----------- Okay, so this chapter isn't much better... In my opinion. I promise it'll get better... And if you think it's still good anyway, thanks! =) Keep leaving reviews, and I will accept criticism! Just don't kill me...  
  
This story is copyright to me. The characters, world, etc. are copyright to Square-Enix. Well, Julius, Meander, Ebon, and – well, never mind. Everything's copyright to something, so don't steal! 


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three  
Burmecia; Castle Grounds; Mid Afternoon  
  
Puck stepped into the Castle Grounds with down spirits and a confused mind. He chose to ignore Raven, who was hissing and spitting at Puck from a distance. Puck walked carefully to the castle, deep in thought.  
Why did Freya not want bodyguards? The situation made no sense to Puck at all. Bodyguards could help Freya greatly. The next time the man showed up – and Puck was sure he would – Freya would probably stand a better chance. Puck clearly remembered her reason; she supposedly didn't want to put anyone in danger. That, Puck knew, was only half of it. Freya couldn't just want to keep everyone safer.  
It had to be pride, along with shame. Freya was a nice person and all, but she had great pride. She, along with Rose, was the only female Dragon Warrior. Everyone vowed that Freya's powers exceeded the older woman's. This, plus knowing that she had great strength, probably gave Freya great pride – pride she didn't want to ruin. Bodyguards would make her seem weak, weakening Freya and bringing her shame. The shame came from looking so powerful once, then being so weak. It, Puck had to agree, was shameful.  
Puck entered the castle.  
"DARIEN!" he shouted.  
A few moments later, an 18-year-old Burmecian came ushering in to the room. He was dressed in rather old clothing, and held parchment.  
"Yes, sire?" he asked.  
Great, Puck thought grimly. Even my advisor is older than I am.  
"I wish to plan a meeting to discuss the recent incidents. What do you suggest is the best time?" Puck asked his advisor Darien.  
"It depends on the urgency, sire," Darien said.  
"This is rather urgent," Puck told his advisor as he sat down on the throne. It was huge, and made Puck look like a mouse.  
"The best time for the people would be tomorrow, sire," Darien said, unfazed by the humorous scene. He had gotten over it months ago. "Late- afternoon."  
Puck nodded. "Yes, sounds all right. Could you please consult these people? I want them to be at the meeting."  
"Pardon." Darien rushed off.  
Puck stared at the ceiling, then at the throne.  
I'm so small, Puck thought.  
Darien returned with a quill and ink. He put them on a table and dipped the quill in the ink.  
"Who do you wish to invite?" Darien asked.  
"Aireff, Rose, Fratley, and Gray," Puck said. Darien quickly wrote the names down. "Thank you, Darien. Could you please hurry?"  
"Yes, sire," Darien said. He rose, bowed, and ran out of the castle with the parchment.  
You're a great person, Darien, Puck thought. You listen to an eleven- year-old.  
  
Freya was sleeping when Darien arrived at Fratley's house. He found Fratley, Rose, and Aireff sitting at the old wooden table in the old, rustic kitchen. They were drinking tea, and were having a conversation of some sort. Soon, however, Aireff saw Darien.  
"Yes?" he asked.  
"King Puck requests a meeting," Darien told him, green eyes scanning the room for others. "He invites you three."  
"When is it?" Fratley asked.  
"It is tomorrow at this time," Darien said, scanning the parchment. "It will discuss the occurrences of today."  
Fratley looked toward the old wooden door near the table that led downstairs.  
"Is Freya invited?" Fratley asked.  
"No, she is not," Darien answered.  
Fratley nodded slightly; he had expected as much.  
"Who else is invited?" Rose asked.  
"Gray," Darien said, glancing at the parchment.  
Everyone was silent. Fratley shook his head, as he slowly comprehended what Puck had in mind. Aireff and Rose caught on more slowly.  
"Thank you, Darien," Aireff said quietly.  
"Pleasure," Darien said. He then left.  
"Now what is that Puck planning?" Rose asked with agitation.  
Fratley stared at the doorway through which Darien left. "He's going to give Freya a bodyguard."  
  
Next Day; Castle Royal Hall; Mid-Afternoon  
  
The weather at the time of the meeting was mediocre, if even that. Harsh freezing rain pelted Burmecia, stabbing anyone outside like knives. The temperature seemed to be warming up slightly, while the thick cloud covering was becoming even thicker. As most of the Burmecians recognized the signs of snow, they prepared for it. Male Burmecians brought in wood, female Burmecians headed off to get food, and children played in the streets hoping to get stuck in the storm.  
Fratley, meanwhile, found himself sitting near a broken window that allowed the rain in. Puck was not at the meeting yet, even though everyone else was there on time. No one was surprised.  
Gray stared at the dull gray ceiling, deep in thought. He knew what was happening, and he was a little concerned. As he thought the situation over, a vision of his wife danced in his head. They just got married about a month ago, yet they had planned their honeymoon for next month, when the storms would pass and travelling would be easier. Yet what if he was injured? Worse, what if he... Died?  
Puck entered at this point. He sat down and looked at everyone.  
"Why so grim?" Puck asked sarcastically.  
"The weather sucks, and the situation is worse," Aireff commented.  
"Still, we have to discuss this. How could yesterday's situation possibly have happened?" Puck asked.  
"The gates were left unlocked," Gray muttered.  
"Everyone was off-guard. We were all too busy rebuilding," Aireff commented.  
"He was too powerful," Rose commented. "Freya couldn't touch 'im, and 'e could be the shit out of 'er. And we know she's not weak because she 'as gone against things bigger and a 'ell of a lot more evil that 'im."  
"Makes some sense," Puck muttered. "So the gates were left unlocked, allowing him to enter. No one noticed his suspicious looks because we were distracted, and Freya was creamed because he's too powerful."  
"Which is why your idea isn't a good one!" Rose suddenly commented. "That guy is too powerful for our best Dragon Warrior, let alone 'er and a bunch of bodyguards."  
"I agree," Gray said softly. "This is pointless. The best things we can do are lock the gates all day and be on our guard."  
"Then fall back into the cycle of stupidity. Look, if we continue the way we were before, we're going to end up the way we are now!" Puck roared. "Look, I don't care if we only do this for a day! We have to have a bodyguard for at least one day if only to show this guy that we aren't a bunch of slackers!"  
"But what if 'e's killed?" Rose shouted. "We 'ad enough deaths from that bloody attack a year ago! We don't need another fellar dead!"  
"Just one day!" Puck shouted back.  
"In one day, Gray and Freya could both be dead!" Rose screamed.  
A stunned, eerie silence filled the room. No one, not even Fratley, had even considered that Freya might be in a life-threatening situation. As the people present thought Rose's words over, however, the grim situation quickly hung over their heads like thick fog. Freya was in a life-threatening situation, or it could turn into one, at least.  
After five minutes, Puck sighed. He stared at the ceiling, took a coin out of his pocket, and began to rub it between his thumb and index finger nervously. The coin was a thin piece of silver in the shape of a fish's gill.  
"All right," Puck said, still in the process of thinking. "Here's the deal..."  
Everyone quickly came to attention.  
Puck locked his blue eyes on Gray's unusual silver eyes. "Guard duty will start this evening and end tomorrow evening."  
Rose began to interrupt, but Puck held up a hand.  
"However, it is your choice, Gray. If you don't wish to, that's fine." Puck took a deep breath. "DARIEN!"  
Immediately the 18-year-old rushed in. He looked at everyone and their stressed faces. He asked nothing of the meeting however.  
"What is it, sire?" he asked.  
"I wish for a new gate change. The gates must be locked at all times. Only open them if a Burmecian wishes to come or go."  
Darien nodded. "Anything else, sire?"  
Puck nodded. "I want the Dragon Warriors on the prowl."  
Darien's eyes widened slightly. Whenever any king wished for 'Dragon Warriors on the prowl', something dangerous was happening. Darien didn't question the situation, for it would be rude, and he didn't want to know.  
"Is that all, sire?" Darien asked.  
"Yes," Puck said as he rose. "Meeting adjourned."  
Darien rushed out of the room. Aireff, Fratley, and Rose looked at Puck with calm eyes. Gray left as quickly as possible.  
"Remember," Puck said as he locked eyes with Aireff, Fratley, and Rose one at a time. "Be on the prowl."  
He then left.  
  
Fratley ran quickly toward the top floor of the castle. Once forgotten senses were now alive and fresh, recovered from Fratley's torn memory. The order had been given, and now Fratley would follow it. Stealth, speed, and a mind were three main things that he must have, or the situation would be disaster.  
He could tell that those were the thoughts of the other twelve Dragon Warriors, or would be once they knew of the situation. Fratley had reached the highest floor and stepped into the frame of a shattered window. He then leapt from the window and onto the castle wall in a blur. Anyone who had been underneath him would have thought him to be a blur. Fratley peered over the top of the gate to see no one in the distance. He began to rush along the castle wall.  
Fratley continued to speed along the wall until something caught his eye. He quickly knelt down and came to a stop. He showed no emotion as he recognized the person.  
It was the human who had attacked Freya. He was standing stiffly on the wall, clearly unnoticed. Fratley's eyes burned briefly with hatred, then that hatred disappeared. Slowly Fratley took his spear from his back and began to charge it with power. He remembered what Freya said; he knew what one attack would hurt the person.  
Then, suddenly, the person threw a dagger in Fratley's direction. Fratley, almost completely unprepared, just managed to lay flat. The dagger only grazed his forehead. A little blood trickled from the scrape, but Fratley didn't notice. He instead leapt to his feet and charged forward.  
The person took out a black sword in record time and held it in front of him. He knelt down and swiped at Fratley knees. The sword slashed against Fratley's knees. Fratley buckled over, yet still managed to slam his spear, which was bright white with energy, into the person's shoulder. The energy burst outward, making the wound bigger; it was a round wound with a deep middle.  
Neither the person nor Fratley showed any pain from their wounds. Fratley staggered to his feet while the human tried to figure out how to hold his heavy sword with an injured shoulder. Fratley spun his spear around and tried to stab the human in the neck. The person backed up and put away his sword with great care. He then took out a sharp knife and charged for Fratley with it.  
Fratley leapt into the air with great care. He did not go as high due to his damaged knees, but he still dodged the attack. The person threw the knife in the air, but Fratley deflected it. The person moved out of the knife's way and allowed it to hit a civilian nearby. Fratley hit the ground and fell to his bloody knees. He was knocked onto his back by the person's fist. When the human moved to punch him again, Fratley smashed the wooden end of his spear into the person's hand. The human withdrew his hand and glared at Fratley.  
"Who... are... you?" Fratley asked, breathing heavily.  
The human rubbed his right hand, the one that had been clocked. He glared at Fratley with cold, empty black eyes.  
"Why should I tell you that? You are nothing more than a burden, a bastard in my way," the human spat. "You have provided me with entertainment, but it ends here."  
The human lifted his sword, surprising Fratley by holding it easily with only one and ½ hands. He used it to knock Fratley's spear away. Fratley cast normally warm blue eyes on the human, but his eyes were not warm. Rather, they were cold and angry.  
The human's sword went straight for Fratley's heart.  
  
-------------- Stay tuned, folks! Thank you for reviewing! I'm glad you like the story. I personally think this chapter is all right, better than the first two, but not brilliant either. It may take me longer to update as I am rewriting the other chapters to try and get a little more realistic, and even this chapter is lacking in realism, especially with how Fratley is able to jump with damaged knees. Look, it's luck! Everyone has luck! And at least he can't run away, right? Oh well. Stay tuned!  
  
Story is copyright to me. Everything else is copyright to Square Enix. Okay, so Julius, Meander, Ebon, and – well, never mind. Everything is copyright to something, so don't steal. 


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four  
Burmecia; Fratley's House; Early Evening  
  
"Fratley, why didn't ya get 'elp?" Rose hissed at Fratley, her purplish eyes full of fury.  
Fratley stared at the sheets of the bed. The scrape on his head had stopped bleeding, but his knees were heavily bandaged. There was a rather large swollen bump on the back of his head. Fumbling with the sheets, Fratley sighed, eyes full of guilt.  
"I-I wasn't thinking," Fratley muttered. "I had my target, and I knew I had to get rid of him."  
Rose took a sharp, angry intake of breath. Fratley prepared himself for the scream.  
"Fratley, why `didn't ya think?! Why did ya just act!? YA COULD'VE BEEN KILLED!" Rose screamed, hurting Fratley's ears.  
Fratley looked up at Rose briefly. A slash ran from her left cheek down to the right of her snout. Her arm was heavily bandaged, as was her thigh, and she had bruises covering her neck. She was clearly angry, and Fratley lowered his gaze.  
"I'm sorry," he muttered sheepishly. "I honestly lost it. I wasn't thinking like myself. It was... weird."  
Rose sighed. "Ya 'ave to learn to control that feeling. Ya must not lose your mind. Ya can keep yourself when the Dragon comes but it takes work." Rose's eyes suddenly grew cold. "But ya were supposed to 'ave already known that skill!"  
Fratley closed his eyes. "I forgot! I can't remember! I barely even remembered the Dragon himself!"  
Rose's eyes widened slightly then suddenly lost their fury. Sympathy replaced the fury and she sighed.  
"I apologize, Fratley, I forgot as well. I 'ave to remember that you 'ad a little... memory problem." Rose fell silent there.  
Fratley stared at the ground, confused and worried. He didn't understand, and it made him feel like a baby. He sighed; perhaps he was a baby.  
Aireff entered and looked over at the room's occupants. He then sat down on the old wooden bureau against the east wall.  
"'Ello, m' friends," he said, startling Fratley with a smooth, non- Burmecia accent. "'Ave ya solved ye misunderstandin'?"  
Fratley gawked at Aireff. He then looked over at Rose for an explanation.  
"Don't ya remember?" she asked.  
"N-No," Fratley answered, though something was trying to force itself to Fratley's understanding in his mind.  
"M' grandparents aren't from 'ere," Aireff said, his mysterious accent not leaving. "I've their accent and way of speakin'. I jus' don't exactly speak it 'round others 'cause they're not too fond of it..."  
Fratley suddenly remembered so quickly that he had a brief headache.  
"Oh..." he said. He then looked over at Rose. "Then why the hell do you speak that way?"  
"Oh, that," Aireff said with a laugh. "Let's jus' say she took a little of it and made 'er own accent!"  
Fratley wondered how he was stuck with these people. He then heard a door open from outside the room. Soon, Freya was in the doorway.  
"What's going on?" she asked.  
Rose looked over at her.  
"Fratley was attacked by that freak who attacked ya," Rose told her. "I scared 'im off but 'e's probably still around somewhere."  
"No one is terribly injured," Aireff assured Freya as a look of worry came over the woman's face. "Most of the injuries are very minor despite all the bandages." Aireff's accent was gone.  
"What about you, honey?" Rose asked, slowly rising and walking over to Freya. "Ya look better than ya 'ave been."  
"Perhaps," Freya said. She leaned against the doorway and seemed deep in thought. "Yet that man was in the area?"  
"Yes," Fratley said, rising from the bed.  
"GET BACK IN THE BED!" Rose screamed.  
Fratley laughed. "I'm fine, mamá. You should go to bed."  
"Ya were barely able to walk because of your God-damn knees. What makes ya think ya can walk now?"  
"Relax, sweet, he's fine," Aireff said with a smile.  
Indeed, Fratley walked over to Freya with little trouble, even if he was a little slower.  
Freya looked up at Fratley. "I don't think this is possible, but... Did he possibly tell you anything? At all?"  
Fratley shook his head. "Nothing. He only said I was a burden and blah blah..."  
Freya looked extremely disappointed, as did Rose and Aireff. Fratley was a little disappointed as well. He walked back over to the bed and got back in it. Then, suddenly, Aireff brightened.  
"Hang on!" he said, running off.  
"What the?" Fratley asked, watching Aireff leave. "What's with him?"  
Rose walked out of the room to figure that out. Freya took her seat.  
"It was the same person?" Freya asked.  
"Yes," Fratley said. "The exact same person. Damn, he's powerful!"  
"I know," Freya said softly. "He is. I heard you recovered some of your memory about the Dragon..."  
"Who is the Dragon, anyway?" Fratley asked.  
"She's a legend," Freya told him. "According to legend, the Dragon descended from the courts of heaven and gave power to the loyal knights of Burmecia when the place was still young. Supposedly she gave us all the power to use her powers. Perhaps it is true. No ones knows."  
To Fratley, it sounded like rubbish, but he didn't say that. Aireff soon entered, holding a bunch of Hi-Potions.  
"I forgot I had these!" he said happily.  
"Oh dear God, help my foolish father!" Fratley muttered.  
Aireff handed three Hi-Potions each to Freya and Fratley. Freya drank all of them, and Fratley did the same thing with his. The wounds on Freya and Fratley began to sparkle and heal.  
"I'll never figure ya out, Aireff," Rose commented, entering the room. "Ya can't remember anything for ye life until it's practically too late to remember!"  
Aireff smiled. "At least I remember!"  
Freya nodded agreement. "At least." She looked over at Fratley. "Well, I just wanted to make sure everything was all right. Now I'm going to go nap and be lazy... Again."  
Freya left the room while Fratley shook his head.  
"Clearly she doesn't get that resting to sleep isn't being lazy," Fratley commented.  
  
Five Hours Later; Burmecia; Fratley's House; Late Night  
  
Darkness had fallen completely on Burmecia. Everyone was asleep except for the few guards in the city. These guards held spears in their hands, ready to fight for their life.  
Yet one guard was feeling rather sleepy. He looked around in the cold, freezing rain streaking down from the sky. He couldn't see anyone, even though he could see perfectly in the dark. Perhaps he could go and retire for the night.  
The guard began to walk down the street, taking one last patrol. He heard other footsteps, but he assumed they belonged to another guard. He kept walking, but when the footsteps got closer, he began to slow down. The footsteps continued. The guard began to turn around.  
He was stabbed in the back before he saw his opponent. As the guard slumped to the grounds, eyes portraying shock, the human withdrew his sword and walked on. He headed straight to Fratley's house and entered through the broken window. He peered into the dark area. Gray rushed forward, startling him, but he blocked the attack with ease. He then slashed Gray in the thigh. Gray staggered backward, thigh bleeding profusely, and threw a javelin in the direction of the human's eye. The human knocked the javelin away, nailing Freya in the shoulder; she had been going to try and sneak attack. Gray took another javelin, but before he could do anything with it, Julius slashed a bloody wound across Gray's stomach. Gray staggered backward, then fell when his chest was given a bloody slash.  
Freya stared at the human with wide, horrified eyes. The human turned towards her, and the two moons illuminated him. Freya only stared with shock, as the human looked eerily familiar. The human approached Freya quickly and slammed her against the wall, pinning her.  
"Be silent and cooperative, and no harm will come to you," The human hissed in a cold voice.  
There was no way Freya would be that way. Her wounds were either completely healed or only mere cuts or bruises, and she felt she could take the human on.  
"Power of the heavens, show off the cherry blossoms of hope!" she cried.  
A dragon's head swirled around the human, sending gorgeous pink flower petals around the human. The petals soon burst into flames, sending energy with them. The human snarled, burned in many places. The human fell to the ground, and Freya grabbed her spear from the wall and prepared to kill the human.  
The human rolled out of the way and got back up. He was burned in various places, but he was still moving. Freya stared at him with horror and confusion.  
What the hell? She thought.  
Freya rushed forward and tried to attack the human with her spear. The human punched her in the face, throwing her off-track. She slammed into the wall and stared at the human with anger and confusion. The human walked over.  
"It was your choice," the human told Freya, lifting his sword.  
The human clubbed Freya across the head. He backed up while Freya staggered, head bleeding from the newly made wound. The human watched her coldly as her eyes glazed and she slumped to the ground unconscious. If only he could kill her there! It'd be easy now, with her unconscious. The human lifted his sword, then changed his mind. Too many people were around. They could easily come along and save her. He would have to go through the burden of dragging her along... And to her death. The human dragged Freya out of the house and toward the city gate. He killed another guard along the way, then soon left Burmecia.  
Rose watched with fearful, shocked eyes.  
  
Puck stared at the two moons from the bedroom window. The room he was in smelled horrible; it smelled of blood, of dirt, and of death. The bed in the corner was old, with dirty sheets. It was very uncomfortable. Puck sighed as he heard something in the distance; it didn't sound good.  
A few minutes later, a guard came in. He looks panicked and exhausted.  
"Sire," he gasped. "Two guards have been found dead. Both were stabbed in the back. Also... Gray is badly hurt, and Freya cannot be found as of yet."  
Puck sighed; he had expected as much. He looked over at the guard.  
"Lock the gates and be on guard. Big time," Puck said grimly.  
The guard nodded, saluting Puck. He then rushed off. Puck turned to the window and stared outside. He then sighed.  
"Good luck, Freya. You're in for it," Puck muttered.  
Puck walked over to the bed. He settled down to sleep, but he couldn't. He lay awake, staring at the gray ceiling in the eerie dark night.  
  
----- Hate me yet? Hopefully not! You may be wondering how this human can possibly be so deadly... Keep reading! The story will tell the reason for this crazy catastrophe. Yes, there's a reason behind it! Freya hasn't just suddenly turned into a weakling, after all ;) That'd be pretty stupid! Thank you for reviewing, people! I hope you still like the story!  
  
He had no idea how different his latest target was... She would be a fight and a half...  
  
You should know the copyright drill by now... Story copyright to me, everything else copyright to Square Enix except for a few characters, places, and – never mind. It's all copyright to something. Yep... (Must find more interesting way to say this!) 


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five  
The Next Day; Burmecia; Fratley's House; Morning  
  
It took Fratley only a few minutes to realize that Freya was gone and blood stained some of the wood downstairs. He rushed upstairs and looked over at his parents.  
"Freya's gone," he said in a slight panic. "And there is blood all over the place.  
Rose let out a slight whimper.  
"It's my fault," she muttered.  
Fratley gave her a baffled look; how could it be her fault?  
"What do mean?" he asked.  
Rose looked down at the floor. Her eyes were filling with tears at a very fast rate, while Aireff looked very concerned.  
"I-I saw it," Rose said shakily, speaking rather frantically. "I saw Julius head off with Freya. She was unconscious and looked hurt. I saw it and I didn't do anything - to - stop - him."  
Fratley looked over at Rose with deep sympathy. Evidently it wasn't her fault; she just thought it was.  
"Mamá," Fratley began, approaching Rose.  
He didn't get far. Rose ran straight into the bedroom and slammed the door. Aireff and Fratley glanced at each other.  
"She was hysterical all night," Aireff told Fratley. "She thinks it's her fault."  
Fratley nodded, feeling very sorry for poor Rose. He walked over to the bedroom and opened the door. He quickly found Rose, who was sobbing hysterically on the bed.  
"Mamá, it's not your fault," Fratley said gently.  
"Yes - it - is," Rose sobbed, turning away. "I didn't stop him. I didn't try. I should've done something instead of watching."  
"Mamá, you weren't supposed to do something. You would've been killed. Freya's not your responsibility," Fratley explained gently. "I don't want you killed."  
"But Freya's going to be killed now! I just bloody know it!" Rose wailed, tears streaming. "You don't understand, Fratley! A Dragon Warrior is supposed to help their comrade! I broke Dragon Warrior oath and now someone is going to die!"  
Rose continued to sob, and Fratley walked over to Rose. He tried to comfort her silently, but it didn't work. Fratley sighed, rose, and left the room.  
"She's hysterical," Fratley said with worry.  
Aireff nodded and entered the bedroom. He closed the door carefully behind him. Fratley sighed; he could tell Rose was truly upset. She wasn't using her accent.  
Fratley sat down at the kitchen table and took a roll from the basket on the table. He began to eat it slowly. He could hear Rose sobbing. Soon, however, something on a shelf caught his eye.  
It was a turquoise jar. Fratley shoved the roll in his mouth and walked over to the sealed jar. He examined the jar curiously, wondering what it was. It seemed familiar. Fratley picked up the jar and examined. He tried to pry the lid off, but it was too tight. He stared at it, annoyed. He then began to yank.  
Suddenly the jar dropped from Fratley's hand and shattered. Fratley leapt backward, startled, and stared at the jar. Soon, however, something else diverted his attention. It was a yellow spirit-like being that came out of the jar's broken bottom. It seemed to stare at Fratley with yellow star-like eyes.  
"Who you?" it asked in a feminine voice. "You savior?"  
Fratley could only stare with complete confusion. What was this thing?  
"You savior!" the spirit chirped cheerfully. "You save me! Thank you thank you thank you thank you!"  
"Uh, well, um. W-Who are you?" Fratley asked.  
"Me? I Cleo!" the spirit chirped. "Who you?"  
"I-I'm Fratley," Fratley said with confusion. "Uh, what are you?"  
Cleo stared at Fratley with curious eyes. "You no know? I a shapeshifter!"  
Fratley stared with shock. Something in his mind forced its way into his memory: shapeshifters.  
"Y-You're a shapeshifter?" Fratley asked. "I thought you were extinct."  
"No extinct! We hunted, but we hide. We no extinct if we no found!" Cleo chirped. "You savior! You save me! I trapped in there for very long! Now I free! How I repay?"  
Fratley thought this question over. Then, suddenly, his mind thought of a way to repay her.  
"A certain person has kidnapped my girlfriend," Fratley told her.  
"Really? What he look like?" Cleo asked.  
"Well. He dresses completely in black, and has pitch black eyes." Fratley said.  
"Oooooh! Yes, yes yes! I can help!"  
"Really? Who is he? Where is he? What does he want?" Fratley asked.  
"Too many questions! I no know his name but I know where he hides! I can help you, yes yes yes!"  
"Seriously? You truly know where is he? You will lead me to him?"  
"Yes yes yes! I lead you to him easily, yes yes yes. It hard journey, maybe we die, but I know way! I gladly show you! You savior!" Cleo bobbed what Fratley assumed was a head.  
Fratley smiled slightly and nodded. "Thank you. Your help will be much appreciated.  
"You no thank me! You savior! You deserve!"  
"Aren't you going to call me Fratley?"  
"You savior, not Fratley!"  
"Oh great."  
Cleo laughed, as if she found the situation hilarious. She transformed into a cat.  
"When we leave?" she asked.  
"Why are you a cat?" Fratley asked, confused.  
"Cat very stealthy! Must be stealthy if I get out alive!" Cleo chirped.  
Suddenly the bedroom door opened and Aireff came out. His eyes widened when he saw the situation.  
"You did not free the shapeshifter," Aireff muttered.  
"Actually, I did," Fratley admitted. "But she's going to help me free Freya."  
"I heard shapeshifters are dangerous," Aireff said, grabbing a roll.  
"Oh, they are not dangerous. They're just annoying," Fratley commented. He ignored Cleo's glare.  
"How is it going to help you?" Aireff asked.  
"She is going to lead me to that human who took Freya," Fratley replied.  
"You're leaving?" Aireff asked.  
"Yes, papá, I'm leaving. I will return when I find Freya," Fratley said.  
Aireff sighed. "Rose is upset already. She's truly going to sob when she hears it. Must you leave now?"  
"Freya's in danger. I must leave now," Fratley said. He paused. "I guess I should tell Mamá?"  
"I guess so," Aireff said. He was obviously saddened by Fratley's sudden departure.  
Fratley nodded and entered the bedroom. Rose was staring out the window gloomily. Fratley walked over to her.  
"Mamá, I have sad news," Fratley said.  
Rose looked over. Her eyes were red from crying. "Now what?"  
"I'm leaving," Fratley said. "I'm heading off with a shapeshifter to find Freya."  
Tears filled Rose's eyes, but she blinked them away. She sighed, staring at the ground. Fratley waited patiently for an answer, for her to cry, something.  
Fratley definitely didn't expect the hug Rose gave him. She let out a depressed sigh.  
"Good luck," she muttered. "Find Freya and bring her home. And yourself."  
Rose pulled herself away from Fratley and walked back over to the window. She sighed, looking at Fratley, then back at the window. Fratley walked over and kissed Rose on the cheek.  
"I will return," he said sympathetically.  
Fratley left the room and looked over at Cleo, who was still in a cat formation. He then looked over at Aireff.  
"Take care of Mamá," Fratley said.  
Aireff rose and smiled at Fratley. "What did ya think I was goin' ta do, jus' leave 'er ta die? I'll take care of 'er, don't ya worry 'bout 'er or me. Ya jus' go an' save ye Freya."  
Fratley smiled and gave Aireff a quick hug. He then took his spear from the wall and strapped his to his back. After that, he prepared a large bag, filling it with nonperishable foods, warm clothing, javelins, jugs of water, medicine, and bandages. Finally, he was ready, and looked over at Cleo, who was in her normal form.  
"Ready, Cleo?" Fratley asked.  
"Yes yes yes! I always ready! You take long time, savior, don't waste time!" Cleo chirped. "Let us go!"  
"Good luck," Aireff said, rising. "I'll inform Puck."  
"Thank you," Fratley said.  
Fratley and Cleo, who became a cat one more, walked outside. Puck soon greeted them.  
"You're leaving, aren't you?" Puck asked. It was clear he didn't get any sleep.  
"Yes, I am," Fratley answered.  
"Ah, I see," Puck commented. "Well, all I can do is wish you luck. I hope you return soon."  
Fratley nodded. "Good luck, Puck."  
Slowly Fratley walked outside and away, Cleo following.  
"Where to?" Fratley asked.  
Cleo looked back in the direction of Burmecia.  
"To the mountains," she said.  
  
The mountains were not pleasant, especially not in winter. Snow fell endlessly from the cloud-thick skies. Though this made the area quite gorgeous, it made the area a wasteland. Only the strongest of plants could grow there, and therefore only the strongest of animals. Large footprints from the strongest of these creatures were found in numerous places along the mountain range that stretched all around the Mist Continent's border. Yet only in the Daines-Horse Basin area did things in the mountain range get extremely rough.  
Freya was experiencing that all too well.  
She couldn't move, couldn't speak, or basically do anything. If she did, the human would kick her out of the uncomfortable wooden cart and into something much more uncomfortable, whether it is a rock, a hard mount of snow, or a viscous mountain goat. So far the human had offered nothing but threats, insults, and pain to Freya. He hadn't really noticed how badly the mountain goat had beaten Freya; the bruises it gave Freya were unnoticed by the human. Freya, however, felt them all too well. They hurt no matter what position Freya was in.  
The cold didn't help Freya. She kept her knees close to her body, breathing deeply into her hands. She stared miserably at the opening at the front of the cart and at the one huge behemoth the human had pulling the cart. Freya didn't like the idea of a behemoth pulling a cart. It looked huge and viscous enough to kill someone. quickly. The behemoth was fast, however, and it was making very good progress toward a place where Freya hoped there was at least a little warmth.  
After an hour of progress, the human soon sat in the cart. Freya slid away from him, and his opinion was smacking her. Freya, deciding she didn't want to take it, muttered inaudible words under her breath. Energy formed in a star-shape in her palm. The human moved to smack her, only to be hit by the energy. The human was nearly knocked out of the cart despite the rather measly attack.  
Freya expected a beating, or perhaps death. She definitely didn't expect the human to smirk cruelly.  
"Fine, you want to provide entertainment?" he hissed.  
The human took out of a flail. Freya eyed it cautiously. Due to this, she was able to dodge when the human tried to hit her with it. Freya began to prepare another attack, while she dodged the flail once more. She then hit the human's hand with the spell. The flail was knocked into the behemoth's side. He snarled angrily, lifted his tail, and ripped it through the cart, trying to hit his antagonist. Freya and the human both ducked. Seeming satisfied, the behemoth continued to run.  
"You stupid bitch," the human snarled at Freya, who only blinked at him.  
The human smashed his fist into Freya's jaw. Freya tried to smack him back but he dodged. Freya lifted her clawed feet and tried to kick him, but he only kicked her back. The human took out a spiked wooden club and slammed it into Freya's jaw. The spikes on the club ripped Freya's jaw, leaving bloody marks.  
I've had enough of this bullshit, Freya thought to herself as she dodged another club hit.  
Freya leapt from the cart and into the snow. She was surprised when she sank into it; the snow was all powder. The human laughed at Freya's attempt. Freya charged up a ball of energy and threw it at the snow. It sped through the snow, creating a smooth path for Freya to walk in. The human watched with shock as Freya began to run in front of the ball at a speed that was rather quick for her condition.  
"HALT!" the human shouted at the behemoth.  
The behemoth snarled angrily, stopped moving, and smacked the human out of the cart. The human landed in the snow and rose quickly. Freya grabbed a bunch of snow as she ran. She packed it into a hard snowball and threw it at the human' face for the fun of it. It slammed into the human' face and made him curse and rub his stinging eyes. This gave Freya more time to run off.  
Once he gained his senses, the human ran for Freya and tried to kick her. He met air and fell to the ground with a thud. Freya shook her head at his stupidity and kept running, though she was slowing down from exhaustion. The human grabbed his club, examined it, and then examined Freya. Freya knew what was coming.  
The human threw the club, and Freya tackled herself into the ground just as it whizzed out of the human's hand. The club zoomed above her harmlessly. The human yelled with frustration while Freya carefully rose to her feet. She jogged forward, soon saw the club, and raced over to it. She picked up the club and stared at the human angrily.  
The human returned her stare, and decided that running after Freya wasn't smart. He instead lifted his hand and prepared a fire spell. Freya threw the club at him and clocked him in the shoulder. The human accidentally set the fire spell at Freya. Freya dodged narrowly, though the flames licked at her left arm. Freya, knowing that she could escape if she just kept trying, lifted her hand.  
"Power of the heavens, send the dragon's breath!" she shouted.  
A dragon head appeared out of the ground and breathed deadly breath onto the human. He roared with pain, then vanished as the most of the flames began to hit him. Freya stared at where he had once been for a few seconds. She then stared at the massive behemoth.  
Hmm. Ah, what the hell. Not like I have much to lose, Freya thought.  
Freya walked over to the behemoth, which snarled ferociously. Freya ran forward and leapt onto its back. The behemoth roared angrily and tried to throw her off. Freya lifted the ropes tying the behemoth to the rope and began to gnaw on them. The behemoth threw her off halfway through the process. It then began to struggle to get toward her. The ropes, weakened, snapped, and the behemoth raced toward her angrily.  
Freya rushed to her feet, ran out of the way, then leapt back on the behemoth's back. The behemoth roared angrily and tried to attack her. Freya sent a star-moon attack at its head, making it scream angrily.  
"Shut up, would you?!" Freya growled at the behemoth. "If you'd just calm down, we can both get out of here!"  
The behemoth had no interest in calming down. It took another five minutes and a few more attacks before the behemoth finally settled a bit.  
"I know you understand me," Freya muttered. "Take me anywhere. Just get me out of these mountains."  
The behemoth growled and tried to throw her off. Freya attacked it once more, and the behemoth roared. It then began to run in a random direction at a quick pace.  
  
----- I hope you're still enjoying the story! I know, I know, it's a behemoth, but I needed something. Be sure to keep reading, for the story is going to explain a bit of the human's mysterious strength in the next chapter!  
  
Robshi: The reason the human didn't kill her is because someone may save her before she gets killed. He dragged her out so he could kill her later. And don't worry. The story will explain how this human is so powerful. =)  
  
Copyright, copyright, copyright. Everything's copyright to something, though Square Enix owns most of it. *Yawns* Must find a more interesting way to say this quickly! 


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six  
Daines Mountains; Early Afternoon  
  
"You right, Fratley! We make much more progress now that I ice hawk!"  
Fratley had to agree with Cleo. As he rode atop Cleo, who had transformed into a large, majestic ice hawk, he was pleased at the progress they were making. They had been going at least two miles per hour, though Cleo had to stop often to rest. It seemed she wasn't completely back to her old self. Fratley figured being stuck in a bottle did stuff like that.  
Suddenly, Cleo began to descend despite having rested two minutes before. Fratley didn't question her; she surely knew what she was doing. Soon, he saw a person kneeling down in the snow. Fratley slid off Cleo and walked over to him.  
"Excuse me, what are you doing?" he asked.  
The person looked over at Fratley, whose blood turned to ice. The man had black eyes just like the human's.  
"I am examining the snow," the man said in a gruff voice.  
Fratley relaxed slightly, for the man's voice did not seem deep enough to belong to the human.  
"What for?" Fratley asked.  
"A person was in trouble here," the man said, still gruff. "When I briefly touched minds, it happened to be a female Burmecian. She's in trouble."  
"A female Burmecian was here?" Fratley asked anxiously.  
"Yes, but evidently they have already moved on." The man rose and looked in the east. "They probably headed this way."  
"I happen to be looking for a female Burmecian as well. She was kidnapped by a person who has the same color eyes as yours," Fratley explained.  
The man nodded. "It must be them, then." He glanced over at Fratley. "If you wish, you can join with me. We will get there in no time."  
"How so?" Fratley asked suspiciously. "You have nothing to ride on."  
"I have my ways. Do you accept my offer?" the man asked.  
Fratley saw very little reasons to do such a thing. He didn't trust this man, anyway.  
"I'm sorry, but I can't," Fratley said.  
"Good luck," the man said, his gruff voice returning. He then ran off to the east at a very surprising speed.  
"He have Haste," Cleo explained as Fratley climbed atop her once more. "Ready?"  
"Yes," Fratley said.  
Cleo headed off once more. Fratley leaned back and sighed. That man was right; he would reach Freya before them. But he did not allow himself to be concerned. Perhaps the man would be nice. Or perhaps not. Horrible visions filled Fratley's mind, and he shuddered.  
A deep roar startled Fratley out of his musings.  
"Cleo, what was that?" Fratley asked.  
"That Yeti," Cleo said regretfully. "He very mad, yes yes yes. Everyone invade his territory, so he fight us. We win, we pass. He win, we lunch."  
Fratley sighed as he slid off Cleo and drew his spear. Cleo transformed into a massive yet ugly green creature known as a Malboro. The land shook as something huge approached.  
The Yeti soon made its appearance. It was about eight feet tall and around 500lbs. Covered in shaggy, white fur, its face, palms, and the bottom of its feet were furless and revealed peach skin. The Yeti had blue eyes, and large tusks. It roared, revealing rows of sharp teeth. It then stomped toward Fratley, a large fist ready to strike.  
Fratley dodged the fist and prepared a Lancer attack. He rushed backward, then ran forward, leapt in the air, and thrust his spear into the Yeti's shoulder. The Yeti snarled angrily and plucked Fratley off as if he were a flea. Cleo transformed into a huge pillow and cushioned Fratley's fall. She then transformed into fire and threw herself onto the Yeti. The Yeti didn't like this much, and tried to throw her off. He only succeeded in further spreading the fire through his body.  
Fratley rose to his feet and lifted his hand. "Power of the heavens, lend the power of the mighty warriors!" He actually had no idea what he was doing, but something told him to shout the words.  
A dragon symbol appeared under the Yeti. A dragon spirit plowed through the Yeti, leaving an explosion in its path. The Yeti roared with pain as it stomped toward Fratley. Fratley rushed out of the way, only to trip over a rock. The Yeti took this opportunity to plow its large fist into Fratley's head. Fratley's world spun, and the situation suddenly looked oddly familiar.  
Then Fratley remembered why it did, and he remembered how to solve it. Fratley lifted his head.  
"Power of the heavens," he muttered. "show off the cherry blossoms of hope."  
A dragon spirit plowed through the Yeti, leaving gorgeous flower petals behind. These petals soon blew up, causing the Yeti to scream. Cleo detached herself and moved Fratley out of the way. She then rose and transformed into a cannon. She shot a cannonball at the Yeti. The Yeti was screaming bloody murder as the cannonball carried it straight into a huge boulder. The Yeti growled then slumped to the ground.  
Fratley stared at Cleo with shock as she transformed into an ice hawk. She flew over to Fratley.  
"You take bad hit to head, yes yes yes," she said, helping Fratley onto her. "We go slow so you rest."  
Fratley shook his head, but Cleo was clearly persistent. She headed off rather slowly, and suddenly Fratley was covered in huge fluffy feathers.  
"Uh. Thank you," Fratley muttered once he found his voice.  
Cleo laughed. "You very welcome!"  
  
Freya had fought behemoths before. They were dangerous creatures, sporting huge horns on their heads. They had huge fangs and deadly attacks. They could kill you in five seconds.  
That was why Freya could barely believe she was riding a behemoth through a mountain range. The behemoth showed no signs of tiring. Freya had heard rumors that they could run for days on end.  
Guess I'll find out, Freya thought.  
The human still had not showed himself. Freya wondered whether she had killed him or not. Something told her she hadn't. It just didn't seem right. It was perfectly possible, though.  
Freya began to think over the situation. Had she actually managed to hurt the human? Indeed, now that Freya thought about it, her Dragon abilities had hurt him before. Yet her Dragon abilities were just boosted up physical attacks. It didn't seem like it should make much of a difference.  
Wait! Magic! Freya thought to herself. Dragon abilities are physical attacks charged with magic! Is that what is hurting him? Magic?  
Freya looked down at the behemoth and decided to try something really stupid.  
"Is that human only hurt by magic?" Freya asked the behemoth.  
The behemoth growled and looked up at Freya. It gave her the look that gave Freya the impression that the behemoth thought she was nuts. Perhaps she was. She was riding a behemoth in the mountains, it seemed like she had practically tamed it, and now she was expecting it to talk?  
I've gone nuts, Freya thought. I really need to get to civilization before I get worse.  
  
"Cleo, are you sure we are going the right way?" Fratley asked Cleo as they descended once more to rest.  
"Yes, this the way. That human who kidnap your girlfriend always in Alexandrian Mountains. We heading there now," Cleo said as she landed.  
Fratley dismounted and looked at Cleo. He could tell she was extra exhausted. Cleo had pushed extra hard when they had heard a sound like something growling. In only a few hours, they had made two days' progress. Now Fratley knew Cleo should get a lot of rest so they could do the same thing tomorrow.  
As usual, Cleo immediately fell asleep. Fratley took out some food and began to eat slowly. As usual, his thoughts came to Freya. He hoped she was all right, though he sadly doubted it. He blinked away a few tears and sighed. He hated these rest periods. He thought too much. He always thought too much of Freya. He always remembered her smile, her strange humor, and her loyalty.  
And everything else. Fratley sighed as he dug into the snow, preparing an insulated bed. He had seen dogs do this before, though when he had seen it he couldn't remember for his life. Soon, Fratley had dug an appropriate-sized hole. He crawled into the hole and lied down. He finished the little food he had eaten and took his pack to use as a pillow. Laying his head on the "pillow," he stared at the snow. In this area, it thankfully didn't snow consistently, though it was still cold.  
Freya, Fratley thought. God, I hope you're all right. What will I do if you die? No. No you can't be dead. You can take this, right? I know you're all right. Maybe not the same. But you have to be alive.  
Fratley softly began to cry. He couldn't stand the situation. He just wanted to find Freya, take care of her, and go home.  
  
------------ So here's the situation! Will Fratley find Freya? Who is that mysterious man? Will Freya get back to civilization before she goes nuts? (Hehe) Find out in the next chapter. Hopefully *wink*  
  
Sorry it took a little while to post this chapter. I was hoping to get more reviews, but I didn't. Oh well. If you are reading this story, but not reviewing, please review! And if you think this story stinks, review and say what you don't like. I can't guarantee I will change, but I will listen.  
  
Also, please keep in mind that even though I have only posted six chapters, I am actually working on Chapter Thirteen 0.0 I'm working ahead, and this story will probably amount to around 30-40 chapters 0.o. That was the amount the original Saving Freya had. The original Saving Freya (which sucks badly, I assure you) had forty-eight chapters and it still isn't finished (it never will be). Anyway, just keep in mind that I am working ahead and that may be one of the reasons the things you don't like don't get changed.  
  
Stay tuned!  
  
Copyright, copyright, copyright. Blah blah, SquareEnix, blah blah. Get the idea? 


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven  
Alexandrian Mountains; Early Morning  
  
Freya knew it would happen. The behemoth, tired of his passenger, soon threw her off as they reached a mysterious mountain. This mountain had a strange symbol carved into its side. It was a pentagon with a serpent that Freya recognized as Leviathan in the center of it. A sword was behind Leviathan in the symbol. The behemoth ran off, clearly to return home. Freya rose to her feet and stared at the mountain. She didn't like the look of it at all.  
When the mountainside suddenly opened, Freya liked it even worse. She quickly ran off, her strength renewed since the behemoth did all the running. She heard someone walk out, and she looked behind her. She was shocked to see who it was.  
How had he survived? Freya stared at the human who had kidnapped her. He seemed to be limping, at least, but how was he alive?  
The human drew his sword and charged for Freya. Freya rushed out of the way. She knew what hurt him, though, and now she was ready for him. Freya lifted her hand.  
"Power of the heavens, release the power of the mighty warriors!" Freya shouted.  
A dragons symbol appeared beneath the human. A dragon spirit charged through him, sending an explosion in its wake. The human toppled to the ground. Freya, not wasting time to see if he was alive or not, simply ran off. If he was still alive, she didn't care. She just didn't want to stick around to find out, and she didn't want to be tricked if he was feigning it.  
So Freya kept running, hoping to get far away.  
  
"Fratley?" Cleo chirped, watching Fratley pack.  
"What?" Fratley asked, looking up at Cleo.  
"There shortcut nearby, but it very dangerous. In eye of storm there special magic that teleport us to other side. But storm very dangerous. You want to try?" Cleo explained.  
Fratley thought Cleo's words over. Finally, he made his decision.  
"Let's try it," he told Cleo.  
Cleo suddenly morphed into a majestic creature. It was made entirely of ice, and was about nine feet long. It had large ice spikes on its back. Ice spikes protruded out of its elbows. It had four massive talons on bird-like feet. On its head was a majestic three-pointed crest, and its eyes were ice blue. Finally, this creature had huge ten-foot wings that Cleo spread out as she prepared for flight.  
"What the?" Fratley said, startled.  
"I Ice Dragon! They good with storms and lightning!" Cleo explained.  
Cleo flew forward and gathered Fratley in one of her large feet. She then took a sharp turn and headed toward a massive mountain. The tip of the mountain was blue ice, while the rest of it was completely white. Most of the mountain was lost within massive ominous black clouds. Lightning could be seen even from the far distance. Cleo flew quickly over to the storm. The wind became harsh, and the temperature dropped severely. Snow began to fall, and it was being blown in all direction by the harsh wind. Cleo kept herself airborne, and headed through a hole in the massive cloud.  
The storm that Cleo entered was nothing Fratley could ever remember being in. The snow was so thick in the air Fratley couldn't see where anything was. The wind plowed snow into Cleo and Fratley's faces. Fratley closed his eyes and wished he could hide his face, but Cleo's tight grip prevented such a move. He could only hope the eye of the storm was not far away.  
Lightning streaked from the sky, crashing into a rock tower and shattering it. Cleo moved upward to dodge a boulder, and the storm began to drag her up toward the ominous cloud. Having no intention of being dragged toward the cloud, Cleo began to move downward, flapping her large wings frantically. Lightning slammed into one of her wings, but it only ripped it. It seemed that the electricity didn't bother Cleo or Fratley. If anything, the lightning helped Cleo fall downward. Soon, Cleo had as much control as she could get in the storm, and even though her right wing was torn, she was still pretty all right in the air. Cleo flapped her powerful wings and headed toward the eye of the storm. Or where she hoped it would be.  
Fratley kept his eyes closed, the wind whistling in his ears. The snow stung his face, as did the horrible wind, and he constantly heard thunder crack and lightning strike. He wondered if he would make it through the storm alive.  
Cleo dodged a lightning bold that nearly slammed into her head. She flew lower to the ground to decrease the effects of the brutal wind. This also caused her to bump into things however. Soon, she collided with a rock column. The rock column nearly fell on her, and she just managed to move out of its way. Fratley heard a loud crash.  
"Cleo, are you all right?" Fratley asked over the loud wind.  
"I fine!" Cleo chirped. "No worry. We get out of this."  
Cleo flew a little higher. Soon, she was out of the way of any objects on the ground, yet not being buffeted by the wind. Still, the fierce wind tried to pull her around. It was taking all of Cleo's strength to fight back. Cleo took a deep breath, then surged forward.  
Suddenly the wind stopped, as did the snowfall. Fratley could hear everything clearly, and he felt the sun on his eyelids. He opened his eyes, and was stunned. They were on the final stretch of the Alexandrian Mountains! Alexandria's sword was shining in the far distance in the bright sun. The snow on the mountains sparkled in the sun, leaving a beautiful effect. Cleo dropped Fratley carefully on the ground, then flew to the ground with exhaustion. It had been hard work getting through the storm.  
Fratley walked to the edge of the ledge they stood on and looked around. Unfortunately, he saw no one. Fratley sighed with great disappointment, then walked back over to Cleo. She had transformed into her normal form and was sleeping. Fratley considered what to do.  
Finally, Fratley made up his mind. He sat down beside Cleo and kept on the lookout for anyone dangerous. After all, if it weren't for Cleo, he wouldn't be on the final stretch. He could be dead.  
  
Freya was exhausted. As she looked around, she knew she was on the final run of the mountains. She also knew, however, that travelling anymore would result in falling unconscious or something. Freya looked around for a cave, and was startled when she saw something along those lines.  
Settled along the side of a huge mountain was an ice wall. It had probably formed during a time of sudden floods during unusually warm temperatures, then a sudden drop in temperature probably made it freeze. Freya could see what looked like a small opening in the wall. She walked over and discovered that the opening was just large enough for her to crawl through with a lot of work. She crawled through the tiny opening and found herself in a tiny ice cave. She definitely couldn't rise to her feet, and she could only be comfortable if on her stomach. Still, Freya curled up into an imperfect ball and found herself fairly comfortable. She was relatively safe, as the opening probably would be too small for the human that wanted to kill her. The ice was cold, but Freya had been cold for a while now so she didn't really notice. She was exhausted though, and she wanted to sleep.  
She was lonely though. As Freya stared at the perfectly smooth ice of the cave, her loneliness came down upon her quickly. She immediately thought of all the friends she had: Zidane, Fratley, Vivi, Amarant (though with the way the two acted to each other sometimes, you wouldn't be able to tell they were friends), Garnet, Eiko. Freya had tons of friends, and not a single person was with her. Freya sighed again, hoping she found someone. She hoped that someone would find her. She hoped someone was looking for her. She hoped most of all that she would at least be back together with a friend of some sort.  
Freya's loneliness could not keep her awake, however. Exhaustion took over, and soon Freya fell asleep in the small, lonely ice cave. -------------  
  
Well, our friend Freya isn't going to go nuts anytime soon. But will someone find her? Meanwhile Cleo and Fratley have luck on their side, but will this luck lead them to their goal? What the heck is with this human? Who is he? And when will other characters come in?  
  
Find out!  
  
Note - As you may have noticed, I am adding a few of my own critters to this story. Here's a quick overview of the ones so far:  
  
Shapeshifter - spiritual being with the power to shapeshift into one, two, or even three different beings at a time.  
  
Ice Hawk - massive blue hawk with many soft feathers, powerful wings, and a sharp beak. Specialized to live in cold areas.  
  
Ice Dragon - one of the four Elemental Dragons. This one is made of ice.  
  
Elemental Dragons - There are four of them, each of them controlling a different element. They are made of the element they control. There are the Ice Dragon, Thunder Dragon, Fire Dragon, and Water Dragon.  
  
I think that's all for now. Until then, read and review! And enjoy, hopefully =) Also I do know and apologize for the fact that some of the names of the places, the mountain ranges in particular, are incorrect. I apologize.  
  
Copyright. SquareEnix. Yep. 


	8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight  
Alexandrian Mountains; Mid-Afternoon  
  
Freya woke up slowly, though it took her a few minutes to realize why. Something was sniffing her. Freya stared at it to find it to be a dog's snout sniffing her curiously. Freya wondered what dog could possibly live in the mountains.  
"Landloper, quit it," a male voice said outside the cave.  
The dog snout retreated, allowing Freya to crawl out of the cave. She couldn't believe the person standing at the cave.  
It was a Burmecian, but he was very different. His fur was a rather dark gray instead of white. He had roan hair that reached about two inches below his broad shoulders. His eyes were rust-colored. He was at least six feet tall, maybe more, with simple brown clothes for attire. His tail was brown instead of the usual black. He held a walking stick in his hand, a knapsack over his shoulder, and a machete strapped to his thigh.  
"Are you all right?" the male asked. His accent was similar to Aireff's, except without the weird words. "This is a most curious place to sleep and be found. You look like you've been hurt."  
Freya stared at the male, then at his dog. It was a massive dog with lanky legs. Freya recognized it as a roan Great Dane. It approached Freya, but Freya backed away.  
"Landloper, sit," the male commanded of the dog. The Great Dane sat immediately. His owner then looked back up at Freya. "What is your name?"  
Freya looked up at the male. "Freya."  
"Freya. Fancy name," the male said. He stared in the distance. "What are you doing so far from Burmecia?"  
"I'd. rather not say," Freya muttered after some thought.  
"Then don't," the male said gently. "No one is forcing you."  
The male continued to stare into the distance. Freya watched him suspiciously. The male then finally turned back to Freya.  
"Not a question for me?" he asked.  
"Who are you?" Freya asked.  
"I prefer to be called Wanderer."  
"Wanderer?"  
"Yes. Do you mind?"  
"No. not really. Do you think you could help me?"  
"With what, may I ask?"  
"I need to find a friend."  
"Are they in the mountains?"  
"I don't know. Did you see a male Burmecian around six feet with blue eyes and a simple outfit that was this color around?" Freya lifted her tail and showed Wanderer the orange fabric tied to her tail.  
Wanderer nodded almost immediately. "I did see a male that you describe. He was travelling with an Ice Hawk, oddly enough."  
"Where did you see him?"  
"He was far from here, heading in this relative direction. I'd say he is not too far."  
"Do you think you could lead me to him? That is, if it's not too much."  
Wanderer smiled. "Certainly. Hang on a bit."  
Wanderer closed his eyes and brought up two of his four fingers. He "drew" two parallel lines in front of his eyes with his fingers, leaving a burning trail. He opened his eyes slowly and seemed to stare at something unseen between the two burning parallel lines. He smiled, and blew the burning lines away.  
"Follow me," Wanderer told Freya.  
Not having anything else to do, Freya began to follow the mysterious male as he headed toward a large mountain.  
  
"We meet again."  
Fratley looked in the direction the familiar gruff voice came. The man he had met earlier was approaching. Fratley's eyes narrowed. He still didn't trust this man, especially since he looked so much like the human who kidnapped Freya.  
"What are you doing here?" Fratley asked.  
"The same reason you are," the man replied. "I am looking for your girlfriend."  
"I take it you have not found her?" Fratley asked.  
"No. And neither have you."  
"I cannot travel. My companion is not in good condition, and potions don't work on shapeshifters."  
"You do know that she could be dead by now."  
"Yes." Fratley's voice became grim. "It is one of my worst fears."  
The man approached Fratley.  
"The person we are up against is one of the most dangerous men in the world. Double-crossing him can get you killed. There is a saying. 'Those who hate him fear him. Those who cross him are dead.'"  
"Can't you just tell me this guy's name or something?" Fratley asked with irritation.  
The man blinked. "Not yet. Maybe later, when I trust you more. For now, just know this: he's dangerous. Be careful when you confront him."  
Fratley's eyes narrowed as he stared at the man before him. "I don't trust you."  
"Such is the reason I give no names. I will leave now. I have no place in these mountains. If I see your friend I will tell her where you are."  
"How will you know? I will have moved!" Fratley challenged.  
"I will know," the man said simply.  
The man left, leaving Fratley very worried. He didn't trust this man. He knew too much, and hid it all. Cleo woke up nearby.  
"What wrong, Fratley?" she asked.  
"I don't trust that man," Fratley said, motioning to the man who just left.  
"Shall we go?" Cleo asked.  
"Already? Shouldn't you rest more?" Fratley asked with concern.  
"I fine! Shapeshifters heal fast if wounds not severe!" Cleo chirped as she transformed into an Ice Hawk. "Come! Let us go!"  
  
Freya, Wanderer, and the dog Landloper had only been walking for five minutes before Wanderer called a halt.  
"Someone comes," he said simply.  
Freya walked up to Wanderer and peered in the distance. A male human was approaching. Freya quickly noted that he had black eyes just like the human who kidnapped her. She backed away frantically, and Wanderer grabbed her arm gently yet firmly.  
"Relax, it's all right," he said. "You're safe with me. Landloper, protect her please." Landloper strode over to Freya, who simply stood there, not knowing whether to run for her life or just stand there with an unfamiliar large dog. Wanderer walked up to the man.  
"Who goes there?" he asked. His eyes then widened with surprise. "Meander?"  
The man who Wanderer called Meander looked over at Freya.  
"Someone is looking for you," he grunted in a gruff voice. "He's not too far away. Maybe a few miles."  
"Who?" Freya asked suspiciously.  
"He never gave his name, and neither did I," Meander said simply. He then looked over at Wanderer. "As for you, Er-"  
"Do not speak of my real name, Meander. I have no interest in the results of it being heard," Wanderer said. "You have done your job, Meander. Or have you?"  
"Hardly," Meander grunted. "No one trusts me."  
"You look much like him," Wanderer grunted.  
"Tell me," Freya suddenly said, approaching Meander. "All I need is a name!"  
Meander seemed shock.  
"I know you know. It's obvious. All I need is a name!" Freya persisted. "Come on, please!"  
Meander lowered his eyes. "I'm sorry, but I can't do that. Not until I know I can trust you. Good luck."  
Meander headed off, leaving Freya annoyed and Wanderer unfazed.  
"And that is Meander," Wanderer said, shaking his head. "Mysterious fellow, no?"  
"Do you know the name of the human who wants to kill me?" Freya asked.  
Wanderer frowned. "Not until I get a description, I'm afraid. But first, let us return you to that Burmecian, shall we?"  
  
"Fratley, look!" Cleo chirped, looking in the northeast. "Two Burmecians."  
Fratley looked in the same direction as Cleo and immediately saw the two Burmecians. One was an odd-looking male with a walking stick and a Great Dane at his side, while the other was Freya. Immediately Cleo began to descend while the two Burmecians came to a stop.  
"There you are," Wanderer said to Freya as they watched a massive Ice Hawk descend toward them. "Exact same Ice Hawk I saw."  
Freya didn't say anything. She only watched as the Ice Hawk came to the ground. She quickly saw Fratley on the Ice Hawk's back. Fratley leapt off the Ice Hawk while the Ice Hawk suddenly changed form and became a gorgeous white wolf. Freya didn't seem to notice the Ice Hawk morph. She instead raced over to Fratley and embraced him so tightly he probably couldn't breathe very well. It didn't matter too much to Fratley though, for he did the exact same thing back to Freya. Wanderer smiled at them, wishing he had someone he could hug like that.  
"God, I was afraid you'd be dead," Fratley muttered.  
"Pessimistic, are you? Relax, I wouldn't let him kill me," Freya replied, staring into Fratley's deep blue eyes.  
Fratley nodded. "I'm sure you wouldn't." He looked up at Wanderer, who stared at him with return. "Who's that guy?"  
"Even I don't know. He calls himself Wanderer, but I know his real name starts out as 'Er'," Freya said.  
"'Eroy?'" Fratley guessed, his memory picking up something. Wanderer stiffened.  
"Eroy?" Freya looked over at Wanderer, then shook her head. "It can't be."  
Wanderer didn't answer. He didn't like this at all.  
"Anyway, I have one more favor to ask of you, Wanderer," Freya said.  
"Go ahead," Wanderer said, relieved she didn't pick anything up from Fratley's suddenly blurt-out.  
"The person who kidnapped me had pitch-black eyes just like Meander's. Is there anyone else at all who looks like Meander?" Freya asked.  
Wanderer nodded. "Julius. I'm afraid I can't say whether it was Julius or Meander who attacked you though. You will have to figure that out on your own."  
"Couldn't they be the same person?" Fratley asked, staring at the clouds with wonder.  
"They just as well could be," Wanderer said. He looked Freya in the eye. "I take it you will be all right from here onward?"  
Freya nodded. "Thank you for your help."'  
Wanderer smiled. "Pleasure."  
Wanderer headed off, his dog Landloper following. Freya noted that he was heading in the direction of Burmecia. She looked up at Fratley.  
"Where to?" she asked.  
"Um." Fratley evidently had no clue where to go.  
"Alexandria probably have more information about Julius and Meander. Maybe we figure out if they same or whatever there!" the wolf chirped.  
"It talks?" Freya asked, staring at the wolf with shock.  
"She's a shapeshifter named Cleo," Fratley said. "Anyway, perhaps we should go to Alexandria. It's a short walk. Shorter than going back to Burmecia, anyway."  
Freya nodded. She really wanted to go back to Burmecia, but that was dangerous in itself. She would be best to go to Alexandria. Perhaps Queen Garnet knew something about Meander and Julius.  
"All right. Let's go to Alexandria," Freya said. "It'd be nice to see Zidane and Da - I mean Garnet anyway."  
Cleo transformed into an Ice Dragon.  
"Um, Cleo? I don't think an Ice Dragon would easily be accepted into a city," Fratley pointed out.  
"That okay! I just become chocobo before we get there!" Cleo chirped. "Get on!"  
Freya climbed onto Cleo's icy spiked back and situated herself between two massive spikes. Fratley followed her example, and soon Cleo took to the sky, flying toward Alexandria.  
"How long do you think it will take to get there?" Freya shouted over the rushing wind.  
"A day or so! No worry! We get out of these mountains by time night falls!" Cleo shouted back.  
Freya nodded, liking the idea and liking more that she was back with Fratley. She leaned against the massive spike behind her, staring at the fluffy clouds floating lazily around a blue sky. ----------------- Hello! Thank you for reviewing, everyone =) Such nice reviews. Is this story really that good? *Blushes* Anyway, Freya is finally back with civilization, but who is this "Wanderer"? Who is this "Meander"? Who kidnapped Freya? Find out. As the story progresses, that is!  
  
Oh, and be sure to remember Wanderer and the name "Eroy", okay? Also remember that funky thing Wanderer did with his fingers and the "burning trails". Very important things are beginning to surface! I can not even begin to list them all! But many things that are being said are fairly important, so pay attention!  
  
See you soon! 


	9. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine  
Burmecia; Castle Grounds; Late at Night  
  
The Burmecian walked silently through the Castle Grounds, any familiar features covered by a thick black cloak. He looked around, only to find no one around. He smiled, then headed toward the castle. Following him was another Burmecian that was perhaps ten years younger.  
Finally, they found someone. A man dressed completely in black watched them, his eyes completely black. A heavy sword was strapped to his thigh. He walked over to the Burmecians.  
"You're late," he hissed in a cold voice.  
"Sorry," the older Burmecian said. "It was hard getting away from rebuilding without anyone seeing us."  
"Why did you bring someone with you?" the man asked in a hiss.  
The older Burmecian grabbed his fellow Burmecian by the arm and brought him roughly forward.  
"Speak your name," the man growled.  
"Raven," the younger Burmecian said nervously.  
"Why did you bring someone?" the man asked the older Burmecian.  
"Raven doesn't like her anymore than we do. Besides, he's an excellent fighter. He could help you," the older Burmecian said.  
"Looks weak to me," the man commented.  
"I'm not a weakling. I could kick your ass!" Raven snarled.  
The man smashed his fist into Raven's jaw, knocking him over. The man laughed at Raven.  
"You're a weakling. But perhaps you could be of service to me." the man growled.  
Raven rose to his feet and took out his ax. "Try me, you bastard! You think I'm weak!"  
Raven rushed forward and brought his ax down on the man's head. Nothing happened, shocking him. The man took out his sword and slashed open Raven's arm. Raven backed away, dropping his heavy ax. The man then kicked Raven to the ground.  
"Don't you dare underestimate. I could kill you in five seconds, but you could be useful. Besides, Ebon seems to like you," the man said. He then gazed at the older Burmecian. "What is so handy about this idiot, Ebon?"  
"He's one of the most powerful warriors in Burmecia. Only Freya and Fratley beat him." Ebon trailed off.  
"I don't really care. What use is he to me? Come to think of it."  
The man suddenly pinned Ebon against a wall.  
"I don't see what use you are becoming. You haven't helped me once. When am I going to get the Gil, and when are you going to do something for me?" The man asked harshly.  
Ebon swallowed nervously. "Y-You didn't kill her. So I can't give you the money. A-And Raven can easily be an assassin for you."  
"I don't hire Burmecians," the man said. "I kill them."  
"Hey, it looks like you hired Ebon!" Raven shouted, rising to his feet.  
The man whipped around and slashed Raven in the other arm. The Burmecian backed away. Clearly the man was smirking behind the cloth covering his face. He then turned to Ebon.  
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill the both of you now," the man growled, lifting his sword.  
"You wouldn't get the money," Ebon snarled. "Or benefits. Don't you forget that I'm helping you locate targets for your silly Collaboration. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't know who's weak and helpless and who kicks ass."  
"And I thought that the female you set me against was weak!" the man roared.  
"You were able to kidnap her," Ebon growled.  
"And she escaped! She escaped my clutches, can beat me down, and I can't find her! She's much more powerful than you made her out to be!"  
"Someone's coming!" Raven cried.  
The man looked in the direction of the castle to see what appeared to be a kid walking toward them. He laughed.  
"It's a child," he grunted with amusement.  
The man released his hold on Ebon and stepped toward the child approaching them. He stopped a few feet away, and so did the child. The child appeared to be eleven years old, and he didn't look to have any weapons. He wore royal clothing, and had angry blue eyes.  
"Get out of here, child. Otherwise, you may meet your maker quickly," the man warned.  
"You heard him, weak Puck," Raven snapped.  
Puck only stared at the party he was faced with. "All of you, scram."  
The man laughed. "You don't know who you're talking to. Do you really know who I am?"  
"Yeah, a bastard. Get out of here," Puck commented.  
The man's eyes narrowed. "You asked for it." He rushed for Puck.  
A shot of fire came from the behind Puck and nailed the man. The man toppled to the ground. A black mage soon appeared beside Puck.  
"God, you really are annoying," the black mage commented. "Go away."  
The man disappeared. Ebon and Raven took one look at Puck and ran off. Puck sighed.  
"Thanks, Verdant," he said. "You know that guy?"  
"Not exactly. I just know what hurts him," the black mage Verdant commented.  
"What?"  
"Magic," Verdant told Puck.  
"Magic? No wonder Freya couldn't scratch him!"  
"Yeah. Physical attacks don't cut it very well. I guess a really powerful Dragon ability would nail him good, but magic is the best." Verdant paused. "Who were those two Burmecians?"  
"Two complete idiots," Puck told him. "Neither of them have any idea how much trouble they are in! I knew they were behind all of this."  
"Behind what?" Verdant asked, looking up at Puck.  
"Come with me and I'll tell you," Puck said.  
The two headed toward the castle.  
  
"But why?" Verdant asked after Puck had told his story. "Freya helped saved this word from destruction! Why would anyone want her dead, especially her own people?"  
"Raven and Ebon are just bastards, and that's the end of it. Raven and Freya were always rivals, and Raven was always jealous of her. As for Ebon. He just hates all women. He and Freya also got into a fight quite a while ago. Freya was only 17, and she creamed him. Ebon hated her ever since. To the two of them, it doesn't matter that she helped save the world. Their hatred and stupidity blind out their senses," Puck explained.  
Verdant nodded and looked out of the window of the castle.  
"Are you going to tell her?" he asked.  
"Of course. And I honestly can't wait to see her reaction."  
  
Cleo carefully flew through the air, not exhausted. Freya and Fratley were not sleeping despite how late it was. Neither felt sleep would be smart. They could either be attacked or fall off Cleo.  
Freya carefully crawled over one of Cleo's huge spikes and placed herself next to Fratley.  
"Where did you find a shapeshifter?" she asked.  
"In a jar," Fratley replied.  
"A jar?" Freya asked with surprise.  
"Yes, startling enough. She was in a jar." Fratley said. "She said she was captured or something."  
Freya nodded. "It's likely."  
Fratley was silent. He really didn't know what to say. He could see that Freya had gone through a bit of a rough time. There was a new gash on her head that was probably caused by a rough blow. She was burned slightly in certain areas, and there were long cuts on the side of her jaw. She appeared to have various bruises. Fratley frowned, while Freya suddenly sighed.  
"I don't understand," she said.  
"Don't understand?" Fratley asked, baffled.  
"This 'Julius' or 'Meander' or whatever the hell his name is. He seems almost invincible. The night he kidnapped me I nailed him with Cherry Blossom. He was burned, but he kept moving! Then when I woke up, I noted that most of his burns were gone. He may have Hi-Potions, but I'm not so sure. But I know Hi-Potions wouldn't protect against fire. I finally got away from him using Dragon abilities. They are the only things that hurt him. But then I met him again, and he was almost perfectly fine! He only had a slight limp. I beat him down again, but I still think he's alive. I just can't. kill him," Freya said, shaking her head. "I don't understand it."  
Fratley stared at Freya with sympathetic eyes. He put his arm around her shoulders and wished he had something he could say. Freya sighed.  
"I did find out something, though," she commented.  
"What?" Fratley asked.  
"Magic hurts him," Freya said. "If we were only mages."  
"We could always buy scrolls," Fratley commented.  
"Perhaps." Freya trailed off and suddenly changed the subject. "Do you have an extra weapon?"  
"Um." Fratley jogged his memory. Had he packed any weapons other than his own? "No, sorry."  
"I suppose I'll just get one in Alexandria, then," Freya said. She then surprised Fratley by taking some Gil coins out of her pocket.  
"How the heck?" Fratley began.  
Freya laughed slightly. "Clearly, that man didn't kidnap me to rob me. Let's see." Freya counted the coins. "I've got 400 here. Darn."  
Fratley tried to remember what he brought. "I think I have 3000."  
"Filthy rich," Freya muttered teasingly.  
"Maybe so!" Fratley said with a light laugh. He then turned to Cleo. "Aren't you tired?"  
"Hardly!" Cleo chirped.  
"Okay then." Fratley was clearly stumped. "Shapeshifters confuse me."  
"Why?" Freya asked.  
"Because when she was an Ice Hawk before, she constantly needed to rest. Now she doesn't!" Fratley said.  
"Well." Freya thought this over. "Perhaps she needed more rest because she had just gotten out of the jar. Maybe she's regaining her strength."  
"Why don't I think of these things?" Fratley asked the cold air of the night. "Am I that stupid?"  
Freya smiled at him. "You're not stupid."  
"Look!" Cleo chirped.  
Freya and Fratley both looked out toward Alexandria. They were shocked to see how close they were to the city.  
"How did you move so quickly?" Freya asked.  
"I move fine! Time pass quickly!" Cleo commented.  
Suddenly Cleo morphed. Freya and Fratley had no danger of falling off due to the fact that she was still solid, but it still surprised them. Soon, Cleo had become a gorgeous yellow chocobo. Unfortunately, she was now not as wide, and Fratley was in mid-air. If it weren't for the fact that Freya grabbed his arm just in time, he would've had a very painful landing.  
Cleo flapped her small wings and managed to make a skimpy landing. Flying was not a chocobo's specialty. Freya let go of Fratley's arm, allowing him to fall to the ground.  
"Sorry," Freya commented.  
"Not you're fault," Fratley said, rising to his feet. "So now what should I do?"  
"Lead Cleo in," Freya replied. "Pretend you own her."  
"Oh." Fratley said with wonder. "Yes, that would make sense."  
Gee, where did your brain go? Freya thought with amusement.  
Fratley began to "lead" Cleo over to Alexandria. The city, though not as large as Lindblum, was larger than Burmecia. The two moons' reflections could be seen in the large sword atop Alexandria Castle. In the dark night, the streets appeared to be empty as Fratley, Freya, and Cleo approached the city. A moat surrounded most of the city; rivers separated parts of it and fell down into a gorgeous cascade below the Plateau. The waters glistened in the moons' light.  
A Pluto Knight was watching the three approach. His companion was sleeping nearby.  
"Welcome to Alexandria," the Pluto Knight said in a rather sleepy voice. He seemed to find Freya, Fratley, and Cleo harmless, and therefore did not object when they entered the city.  
The streets were deserted. Everyone was inside his or her houses at such a late hour. Freya could see a candle in the window of the inn.  
"How about we take a rest in the inn?" Freya asked Fratley.  
"What are we going to do about her?" Fratley asked, motioning to Cleo.  
Freya pondered this question. She then got an idea.  
"No one can see. Cleo, turn into a bug of some sort," Freya said, getting off Cleo.  
Cleo morphed into a butterfly.  
"Now we shouldn't have much trouble with her," Freya said. "No one will exactly notice a butterfly."  
Fratley nodded his agreement. The three entered the inn, Cleo entering a few seconds after them.  
"Welcome," The innkeeper said, clearly happy to get visitors no matter how late it was. "It's 60 Gil to stay a night."  
Freya took six small, silver Gil coins from her pocket and gave them to the innkeeper. The innkeeper nodded and tossed her a bronze key.  
"Second room on your right upstairs," he said. "Be sure to sign out in the morning. Have a good night."  
Freya and Fratley headed upstairs, Cleo following in random movements a few seconds after. They soon found the right room and entered. It was a small, simple room with three rooms.  
"I guess he thought the butterfly needed a bed, too," Fratley commented.  
Freya laughed lightly, shaking her head with disbelief. Fratley tossed his pack into a corner. Cleo transformed into a black cat with orange eyes. Freya closed the door, not wanting anyone to notice Cleo. Fratley yawned suddenly while Cleo leapt onto one of the beds. Freya suppressed a sleepy yawn. She walked over to Fratley and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.  
"Have a good rest," she told him.  
Fratley kissed her back. "You as well."  
The two settled down in the remaining two beds to sleep.  
  
------- Bad chapter ending, I know. But at least it's not a cliffhanger, right? Anyway, more information is slowly being given to you and guess what? More characters appear in the next chapter! Yay! =)  
  
The world of Gaia and most of its inhabitants are copyright to SquareEnix. This story and some inhabitants, monsters, and even a continent (?!) are copyright to me. But SquareEnix owns most of it. 


	10. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten  
Alexandria; Inn; Late Morning  
  
Freya woke up only a few hours before noon. She hated to sleep late, but Fratley, who was sitting on one of the other beds, didn't mind. He understood that Freya needed the sleep. Cleo was still in her cat form. Freya yawned lazily while Fratley reached over and grabbed a piece of bread off a plate on an end table near his bed. He handed it to Freya.  
"It seems that you get free breakfast at this inn," he told her.  
Freya took the bread, muttering a sleepy thank-you. She wasn't completely awake yet. She ate the bread, staring out the window. Already the streets were full of people. Freya idly searched the streets for someone she knew. She was a little surprised when she saw a familiar face.  
Leaning against a wall was a tall, bulky man. His skin was slightly bluish, though it wasn't all that noticeable. He had a tattoo of an unknown symbol on his upper right arm. He had a ton of shaggy red hair that covered most of his small face. He did appear to have a red beard, but his hair hid any other facial features. He wore green clothes with large brown boots. He glanced upward at the inn window, and Freya and he locked eyes.  
"Didn't think he'd be here," Freya commented to both Fratley and the person outside.  
"Who?" Fratley asked.  
"Amarant," Freya answered.  
"That's my name, don't forget it," Amarant clearly said as he stared at Freya.  
"I wasn't talking to you," Freya told Amarant.  
"Wouldn't it be easier to just go outside and talk to him?" Fratley asked.  
Freya turned away from the window and nodded. "Probably."  
Freya ate one more piece of bread before she rose from the bed. Cleo transformed into a butterfly. Freya opened the window as if she was letting in the air, but she was actually letting Cleo get out.  
"We'll meet you soon," Freya whispered.  
Cleo nodded, though it was hard to tell. She flew out of the window. Freya closed the window. Fratley was rummaging through his pack to see what he needed. Freya looked over the window briefly to find Amarant staring up at her. He knew she would probably come out.  
"I need a lot of junk," Fratley muttered as he closed his pack. He swung the leather pack over his shoulder.  
"Like what?" Freya asked, taking the bronze key off the end table near the bed she slept in.  
"Potions, Phoenix Downs, and the like. Nothing really expensive," Fratley told her as they left the room.  
"I hope a new lance won't cost too much," Freya commented.  
"Doesn't matter. I'll buy it for you," Fratley told her, smiling.  
The two descended the stairs. Freya returned the key to the innkeeper and signed out. They then headed outside. Freya squeezed her way through the crowd, only to find she couldn't find Amarant. He found her instead.  
"You suddenly become blind in two minutes?"  
Freya looked to her left to find Amarant staring at her. She shook her head.  
"No. Apparently you moved," Freya told him. "Trying to confuse me?"  
"Actually, I didn't move. What, did you just wake up?" Amarant asked her.  
"Yes, I did," Freya replied. "What are you doing here? Little kids running around, Zidane practically king, and no good places to rob in sight. Sounds like a nightmare for you."  
Amarant rolled his eyes. "Well, I don't exactly have anything to do but hang around here. What are you doing here? No rain, no Burmecians, and no place to practice your skills. Sounds like a nightmare for you."  
It was Freya's turn to roll her eyes. "I didn't have much of a choice but to come here."  
"Why?"  
"Take a guess."  
"I hate guessing games."  
"Too bad. Take a guess."  
"And if I don't?"  
"You'll never know why I'm here."  
"Damn."  
"So, take a guess!"  
"Can't you just tell me? You make things difficult."  
"Just guess."  
"Damn it. fine." Amarant seemed to be thinking.  
Fratley was very confused at this point. He walked over to Freya and looked over at her.  
"Who is this guy?" he asked.  
"I'm Amarant," Amarant grunted nonchalantly. "Who are you, her bodyguard?"  
"Shut up, Amarant. He's Fratley, my boyfriend. You, out of all people, should know I don't like bodyguards. Or need them," Freya said.  
"Then explain the wounds," Amarant commented.  
Freya only stood there stunned. She immediately knew Amarant probably knew exactly why she was in Alexandria. He just wanted her to say it, not him.  
"Well." Freya sighed. "All right, so I was beaten, then kidnapped, all right?"  
Amarant stared at her with mild surprise.  
"Well, that is certainly new," he said sarcastically. "What'd you do, hire someone?"  
"Ha ha. Yeah right, Amarant, why would I bother?" Freya asked.  
"To give yourself a good sob story," Amarant replied.  
"Ha ha ha. You're so funny I keep forgetting to laugh," Freya said, rolling her eyes. "Look, I have a question for you."  
"And I'm not going to answer."  
"Shut up, would you?"  
"First you want me to answer a question. Now you're telling me to shut up. How am I supposed to answer?"  
Freya smacked herself in the forehead. Talking to Amarant was one thing. Having him say the things you want was a whole different story.  
"Fine then. I don't want you to shut up, but I still want you to answer a question," Freya said.  
"And I won't answer."  
Freya just managed to not tell him to shut up. She took a deep breath, sighed angrily, and continued.  
"Ever hear of Julius?" Freya asked.  
"No," Amarant replied.  
"Really? Where'd you hear about him?" Freya asked, startling Fratley.  
"Damn, I hate you," Amarant growled. "I heard about him in Treno."  
"What about?" Freya asked.  
"Not much. Only that he murdered a Burmecian twenty-something years ago," Amarant told her.  
"And Meander? Ever hear of him?" Freya asked.  
"No," Amarant replied.  
"Where?"  
"Augh. He's known everywhere. There are documents on him in Alexandria, Treno, Lindblum, Burmecia. Everywhere. He's wanted, basically," Amarant told her grumpily.  
"I see." Freya said, thinking furiously.  
"Are you done?" Amarant asked.  
"Not really," Freya said. "You may like what I have to say next, though."  
"As if I ever like anything you say."  
"Shut up and listen to me! I may have an exciting idea for you."  
"As if you ever say anything exciting."  
Freya glared at Amarant angrily. Amarant stared back with non- blinking dark eyes. Finally, Freya sighed.  
"If you don't want to hear what I have to say, I'll tell you later," Freya told him.  
"Or never," Amarant grunted.  
"Fine then! Never!" Freya shouted. She stormed off.  
"Um." Fratley rubbed the back of his head, clearly confused.  
"This is very typical," Amarant told him. "Very typical. We piss each other off all the time. She'll be back."  
  
Freya stormed down the streets of Alexandria, angry with Amarant. She would go talk to him later. Right now, she should probably go talk to Zidane and Garnet. Amarant had at least told her some useful information. Freya headed toward the castle, hoping her temporary bad mood would leave by the time she reached it.  
"Freya!"  
Freya stopped moving and waited for Fratley. He had soon caught up with her.  
"Who was that guy? He said it was typical of you to argue," Fratley said, panting.  
"He's right, it is," Freya said. She then realized Amarant was running over. "Oh brother."  
Amarant came to an easy stop. He stared at Fratley.  
"Well, you are clearly out of shape," he grunted.  
"Spare him," Freya said. "What are you doing?"  
"Standing here," Amarant replied.  
"You pain in the ass," Freya muttered under her breath.  
"What a lovely mouth you have today," Amarant grunted.  
"At least I know I have a mouth. Sometimes I'm unsure on whether yours is there or not," Freya countered.  
Amarant shook his head. "I have to admit, that was a fairly good comeback."  
"You were supposed to be insulted," Freya replied.  
"I'm going to go shop," Fratley said, leaving quickly.  
"We scared him," Amarant grunted.  
"Don't get lost!" Freya called after Fratley. She then turned to Amarant. "We probably did."  
"Oh well. Most people are scared of my looks. I'm surprised he still stuck around," Amarant commented. "But forget that. What was this. deal you had for me?"  
"Actually, I'm just mentioning the deal. You do know the differences between Meander and Julius?" Freya asked.  
"Yeah, why?" Amarant asked.  
"Well. See, one of the two is after to kill me. I don't know which one, hell, they could be the same! So your job is to find out who wants to kill me," Freya said.  
"What fun," Amarant grunted.  
"You get to bash them up once you find out," Freya told him.  
"Oh." Amarant thought this over.  
"Is there a bounty over both their heads?" Freya asked.  
"Yes, though the bounty on Meander's is bigger."  
"But do you like the deal anyhow?"  
"It's probable. It gives me something to do, and I get money no matter who I bash."  
"So what will you do?"  
"Does it matter what I do? It won't affect your situation."  
"No, it probably won't."  
"So why do you care?"  
"I'm just curious! Ever hear of that?"  
"Never from you."  
"Augh! I don't understand you."  
"And I don't understand you. What are you so mad about?"  
Freya shook her head. "Never mind."  
"I made up my mind."  
"How did you possibly make up your mind while we were-"  
"Shut up, okay? I made up my mind."  
"Tell me. What are you going to do?"  
"Have a hell of a good time."  
"Amarant!"  
"All right, all right, I'm going to go find out who wants to kill you and then cream them."  
"Thank you."  
"For what?"  
"Two things. Thank you for actually telling me what I needed to know, and thank you for going off to cream whomever it is that wants me dead. It helps."  
"Huh."  
"Huh?"  
Amarant smirked. "What?"  
"Oh, you're really fun to have a conversation with."  
"I'm surprised your boyfriend isn't back yet."  
"He'll be back. Give him time."  
"He probably jumped off a cliff."  
"And why would he do that?"  
"With you for a girlfriend."  
"AMARANT!"  
Amarant's smirk broadened. "Perhaps we should end this conversation."  
"Before we kill each other." And indeed, Freya looked extremely ready to kill Amarant.  
Amarant drew hidden claws on the gauntlets he wore on his hands. Freya leapt backward to avoid the sharp ends.  
"No fair! I don't have a weapon to fight with!" Freya snarled.  
"Then go buy one, you dummy," Amarant grunted, leaning against a wall. "Then I can cream you."  
"Oh believe me, you're the one who's going to be creamed! I still have my skills!" Freya told him.  
"Just go buy your weapon. Then we'll see who's being creamed," Amarant said.  
Freya headed off to find Fratley.  
  
"I cannot believe you."  
Fratley was staring at Freya with disbelief after hearing about her conversation. He shook his head and sighed.  
"You want to get a weapon so you can fight? You're in no good condition!" Fratley told her.  
"Relax, Fratley, it's all right. The most Amarant and I give each other are broken ribs," Freya told him.  
"Oh great." Fratley muttered, rubbing his temples. "What's the least you give each other?"  
"A very bloody nose," Freya replied. "Very bloody."  
Fratley sighed. "Good God."  
"Relax Fratley, we won't kill each other. I promise, and I'll make him promise," Freya said.  
Fratley gave in and handed Freya his pouch of Gil. "Fine, but I'll be watching."  
"Why?" Freya asked as they walked toward the Weapon Shop.  
"I want to make sure you don't kill each other," Fratley told her.  
The two walked to the Weapon Shop in silence. Freya quickly picked out a Heavy Lance to use as a weapon, paid 2500 Gil for it, then left. She then quickly walked back over to the square where Amarant was waiting.  
"Fratley's going to watch," Freya told Amarant.  
"He wants to watch me cream you?" Amarant asked with a hint of challenge in his voice.  
"Oh no, he's going to watch me cream you," Freya told Amarant, returning the challenge.  
Fratley only shook his head. He had no idea what he would be watching. He just hoped Freya wouldn't be dead by the end of it.  
"On guard?" Freya asked. She held her Lance in her left hand and in a fighting position.  
Amarant looked around at all the people in the square. One glare sent them all crawling away. He then looked at Freya and smirked.  
"On guard."  
  
------- Personally, I find this chapter fairly humorous, but that's just me. Okay, so Amarant's in this story, yes. More characters will come up soon, and I think the next chapter is extremely long if I'm remembering correctly. Oh, and to those who are confused on why Puck and Verdant were together and not Vivi, Vivi is in Alexandria in the next chapter, and I really don't think Vivi can travel from one city to another in one night. So that explains that. Oh, and Verdant is Vivi's son!  
  
If you are a fan of Fratley, check out my other story, Let Fear Propel You Forward. It's his biography in first-person. =)  
  
Copyright to SquareEnix (mostly) and me (some). 


	11. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven  
Alexandria; Main Square; Noon  
  
The very second Amarant said "On guard", Freya was charging forward. She moved forward in a blur and slashed Amarant across the face with her spear. Amarant backed up halfway through the attack, making part of the wound shallow. Realizing she wanted to fight rough, Amarant raced forward to slash her in the face. Freya leapt backward, but Amarant kept rushing forward and he slashed her in the face right back. Freya backed up, and Fratley had to keep himself from intervening. Where were the guards? That question was in Fratley's mind.  
Amarant knew where the guards were. They had passed by earlier, but nothing had been happening, so they headed off. They wouldn't be back in another ten minutes, and Freya and he could easily finish a battle in that time.  
Amarant moved in to make another attack, but Freya leapt in the air to avoid it. The taste of her own blood in her mouth was rather unpleasant, but Freya ignored it as she soared through the air. She charged up her spear with the energy used for Lancer, then threw her spear down toward Amarant. Amarant, having seen the attack, dodged with incredible ease. The spear slammed into the adobe with such force it seemed as if either the lance or the brick had to break. Neither did, however. Amarant snatched Freya's spear and threw it in the air. It was not an attack however; he was returning her spear.  
Freya quickly grabbed her spear and slashed Amarant lightly in the shoulder on the way down. Amarant retracted the claws on his right hand and punched her in the face. Freya fell to the ground, but she quickly back-rolled and soon was on her feet.  
"Since when were you so God-damn athletic?" Amarant asked.  
"Since you noticed, you nitwit," Freya replied.  
"Nitwit?" Fratley muttered under his breath, confused at Freya's word- choice.  
Amarant, clearly, did not like being called a nitwit. He rushed forward and punched Freya in the stomach. Freya toppled over, but when Amarant tried to hit her back, she kicked him with one of her powerful feet and knocked him to the ground. Freya rose to her feet, a dull pain in her stomach. She waited impatiently for Amarant to get up, for unlike him, she didn't attack her sparring partner while he was down.  
Amarant soon rose. His claws began to glow a blackish color. He then raced forward and slashed Freya in the left shoulder. Freya let out a soft cry of pain. The attack was brutal! Freya would have to ask Amarant about it later. For now, she would just nail him back.  
"Power of the heavens, lend the power to vanquish!" Freya shouted.  
Energy gathered in a star shape in Freya's hand. It gathered slowly, but Freya didn't want to deal much damage anyway. She threw the star of energy at Amarant and nailed him in the stomach. He toppled to the ground again.  
"Sorry! Aimed too low!" Freya told him.  
"Stupid bitch," Amarant muttered under his breath. He then said in a louder voice. "Then practice your aiming, idiot!"  
Amazing, the difference between what he thinks and what he says, Freya thought with amusement.  
Amarant rose to his feet and tried to kick Freya. Freya moved out of the way quickly and kicked Amarant in the thigh. Amarant quickly moved and smacked her in the face. Freya backed away and slashed Amarant in the shoulder with her lance. Amarant slashed her with his claws in her left shoulder, making the claw wounds she already had deeper.  
They were both getting no where quickly, and they knew it. Freya leapt in the air once more, and Amarant cursed vilely, wishing he could jump like that. Expecting Freya to throw her spear down, Amarant kept ready to dodge.  
"Power of the heavens, release the power of the mighty warriors," Freya muttered, knowing the attack had the potential to cream Amarant.  
Suddenly a dragons symbol appeared under Amarant. A dragon spirit plowed through him, sending an explosion with it. Amarant leapt out of the way.  
"YOU STUPID ASS! ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?" Amarant roared angrily.  
Freya landed on her feet.  
"No, I'm trying to heal you," she said sarcastically after muttering an apology.  
Amarant sighed. "Forget it. I'll get back at you."  
Amarant took a few pieces of Gil out of his pack and threw them at Freya. The Gil streaked through Freya like knifes, leaving bloody cuts. Freya yelped and fell to her knees.  
"Oww. Damn you, Amarant!" Freya shouted, getting to her feet.  
The two warriors stood for a few seconds, watching the other for any sudden moves.  
"Okay, this is stupid," Freya said. "How about we each get one chance to use our most powerful attack, okay?"  
Amarant nodded. Freya took a deep breath.  
"Do it!" Freya shouted.  
A split second later, Freya was shouting.  
"Power of the heavens, show off the cherry blossoms of hope!" Freya shouted, though the attack she was using wasn't her most powerful.  
At the same time, Amarant shouted something in a different language that sounded like demon grunts. A dragon spirit plowed through, sending cherry flower petals into the air while a small flame appeared in a few feet away from the Freya.  
That was when the area in the middle of Amarant and Freya exploded in a massive blast of fire, sending the two warriors backward. They both crashed into walls on the opposite sides of the square and fell to their knees. What came out of their mouths was completely different, however.  
'God damn it, that hurt," Freya muttered, among other things.  
"Bloody shit." Amarant spat, among much worse curses.  
Fratley walked over to Freya to see if she was all right. She appeared to be pretty badly hurt, though she said otherwise. When Fratley handed her a Hi-Potion, she was quick to drink it. She watched at Amarant rose to his feet.  
"That was painful," Amarant grunted. "What the hell happened?"  
Freya shrugged. "I have no idea. It was a little too weird. What attack did you use?"  
"You don't want to know," Amarant told her.  
"Actually, I do," Freya replied, some of her wounds beginning to heal themselves.  
"I'm not telling you," Amarant grunted.  
"Fine, then." Freya paused as she rose to her feet. "What do you think happened?"  
Amarant shrugged. "I don't know. Perhaps the attacks we used were a little too strong." He trailed off, staring at the center of the square.  
The smoke had finally cleared from the square's center, and in the middle was a hole. The adobe had been completely fried away, leaving a smoldering dirt hole in its wake. Freya couldn't help but laugh slightly.  
"Imagine how much that costs!" she told Amarant.  
"You pay for it," Amarant grunted.  
"Why me?" Freya asked.  
"It was your idea to use our most powerful attacks."  
Freya sighed. "Fine. Blame the whole thing on me! But you will agree with this, though. That fight ended in a draw."  
Amarant was silent for a while before he finally spoke. "Unfortunately, you're right." His voice held regret.  
"Are you two done?"  
Amarant and Freya both turned to the direction of the familiar voice. Standing near an arc that lead to a moat was a blonde 17-year-old with a tail. His blonde hair reached his shoulders, while he had blue eyes. He wore a green vest over a white sleeveless shirt, along with blue pants, gray gloves, a leather belt, and large shoes. A small scabbard hung from his thigh.  
"You two are pretty lucky the guards weren't around, and you're even luckier I didn't call them! Sometimes I wonder about you two. Are you someday going to kill each other?" the blonde asked.  
"Hello Zidane," Freya said, completely ignoring his question.  
"Shut up, monkey brat," Amarant said at the same time Freya was speaking.  
Zidane looked over at Freya.  
"What are you doing here? I thought you returned to Burmecia to help rebuild. I know you couldn't have rebuilt it in two months!" Zidane said.  
"I kind of had no choice but to come here," Freya told him, but she didn't elaborate.  
"Hmm? Really?" Zidane asked, seeming interested. "What for?"  
"You honestly don't want to know," Freya replied.  
"She was kidnapped," Amarant grunted.  
"Hate you too, Amarant," Freya spat.  
"Kidnapped? He serious?" Zidane asked.  
"I'll tell you about that later. Right now I need information," Freya told Zidane. "Do you think I could see Garnet?"  
"I highly doubt it's a problem. Garnet gladly sees old friends. Even if she barely spoke with some of them," Zidane replied, turning in the direction of the castle. "Coming, Amarant?"  
"Yeah right," Amarant grunted. "I have better things to do."  
"Like mope," Freya muttered.  
"Shut up," Amarant growled. "You know what I'm going do."  
"That I do. Good luck," Freya told him.  
"Whatever." Amarant walked away from the group and headed toward the exit of Alexandria.  
"I'll never understand him," Zidane muttered. "Well, come on! Don't just stand there!"  
Zidane ran off through the arc. Freya nodded at Fratley, then headed off. Fratley quickly followed, and even though they didn't notice, a butterfly was following them. They soon arrived at a small river that separated Alexandria Castle from the city itself. The three (well, four counting the butterfly) got onto the boat, and the knight on the boat carefully rowed the boat across the shallow river and to the castle. The four then entered the castle.  
"Garnet!" Zidane bellowed. "We have more company! How popular are we, eh?"  
Freya shook her head with disbelief. Soon, a young black mage entered the room. He wore a simple blue shirt tied with leather. His pants were striped green and white, though they looked rather old. He wore a large belt with a large buckle, and he wore simple leather shoes. He had a tall lopsided hat, and his face was completely hidden from view except for yellow eyes.  
"Gosh, Zidane, I won't be surprised if Lindblum heard you," the black mage said.  
"Hello Vivi," Freya said. "What are you doing here?"  
"I just came by to say hello," Vivi replied. "What about you?"  
"I need information, and I kind of had no where else to go," Freya said.  
"You look like you've been in a fight. What happened?"  
"I was in a fight with Amarant but before that. I'd rather not say."  
Garnet soon entered the room, stepping down from the stairs of the castle. She was dressed in her casual outfit, which was a simple yellow jumper with buckles at her thighs, a white shirt under the jumper, a clasp in her black hair, and red gloves and boots. She smiled at her new guests.  
"Hello," she said in her normal polite voice.  
Freya smiled and bowed. "Hello, My Queen." She then cuffed Fratley in the arm, for he had not bowed and was simply staring at Garnet.  
"Oops." Fratley muttered, quickly catching the idea. He bowed as well.  
Garnet laughed. "It's all right. Why don't we go to the dining room for some tea?"  
Freya nodded, while Fratley went back to his rude stare. Freya glared at him and sighed, muttering "men" under her breath. Garnet lead the group into the dining room, and everyone sat down. Fratley was admiring the architecture of the castle while Garnet disappeared to get the tea. Freya stared at the walls, trying to figure out how to say what she needed to say. Vivi noticed her slight worry.  
"What's wrong?" he asked Freya.  
"Nothing," Freya muttered.  
"Uh-huh," Zidane grunted. "Yeah, sure. You need to work on you lying skills."  
Freya smiled slightly. "I guess I do, huh?"  
A familiar "clank-clank" made Freya look toward the doorway. A knight wearing rusty armor entered.  
"Where is the Queen?" he asked in a serious voice.  
"She's getting tea, Rusty," Zidane said.  
'Rusty' snorted slightly at the nickname. He then looked at the all the company in the room.  
"Where did you all come from?" 'Rusty' asked.  
"The mountains," Freya replied.  
"The mountains? You mean you didn't come here straight from Burmecia?" Zidane asked.  
Freya shook her head. "No."  
Garnet entered the room with a tray holding tea. She looked over at 'Rusty.'  
"Hello, Steiner. Care to join us?" she asked with a smile.  
"Uh, well, uh, s-sure," Steiner said. He sat down.  
Garnet handed everyone a cup of tea before she sat down as well. Everyone was silent for a while as they each thought of how to start a conversation. Zidane was the first to speak.  
"So why were you in the mountains?" he asked Freya.  
Freya looked up from her tea and stared out the window. It was a few minutes before she spoke.  
"I. Kind of ended up there," she said quietly.  
Zidane looked confused. Steiner, however, said something.  
"Were you taken away or something?" Steiner asked. It was clearly a simple guess.  
Freya continued to stare out the window. Then she slowly nodded.  
"Yes. I was kidnapped," she said quietly and with a little shame.  
Zidane immediately looked angry.  
"I thought Amarant was kidding! Who kidnapped you?" he asked Freya, clearly angry at whoever had kidnapped her.  
Freya shrugged. "I don't really know. There are two suspects, Meander and Julius, but I know nothing about them. With my luck, they could be the same person."  
Garnet gasped slightly. Everyone looked over at her.  
"Did you say Meander?" Garnet asked.  
Freya nodded.  
"There's a huge section about Meander in the royal documents," Garnet explained. "He has done a lot of awful stuff. The section is nearly three pages long. It's longer than the document of almost anyone else."  
Freya blinked. Could Meander have been the one to kidnap her?  
"Do you think I could please see the document?" Freya asked.  
Garnet nodded. "Certainly." She turned to Steiner. "Steiner, could you please get the document on Meander?"  
Steiner rose to his feet so quickly that the chair fell over. Everyone stared at him. Blushing slightly, Steiner cleared his throat. He saluted the queen, then raced off. His clanking armor soon faded away.  
"What did the person look like?" Garnet asked. "Was he a Burmecian?"  
Freya shook her head. "No, he was a human. He dressed completely in black and had pitch-black eyes."  
"That sounds an awful lot like Meander or Julius," Garnet said. "They both have pitch-black eyes and commonly wore black."  
"Is there anything truly different about them?" Fratley asked.  
Garnet nodded. "Yes, though not many things."  
Steiner's armor could be heard clanking once again, and he soon entered with three pieces of old parchment. Garnet nodded at him, and Steiner gave the papers to Freya.  
  
Name: Meander  
DOB: Unknown  
Hair: Black  
Eyes: Black  
Skin: White  
Height: 6 feet  
Weight: 175 pounds  
Last Seen: Treno  
First Offense: Robbery of Lindblum bank, 1769  
Second Offense: Beating of little girl in Alexandria, 1771  
Third Offense: Killing of Female Burmecian in Alexandria, 1772  
Fourth Offense: Beating of young male Demi-human, 1772  
Fifth Offense: Robbery of Burmecia, 1773  
Sixth Offense: Robber of Four Nations, 1774  
  
Seventh Offense: Killing of Dragon Knight Eroy, 1778  
  
Eight Offense: Robbery of Burmecia, 1780  
Ninth Offense: Severe Injury of Dragon Knight Rose, 1800  
  
The list continued endlessly until the very last page, where it had reached the twentieth offense. Most of the offenses were robberies, with a few murders mixed in. Shaking her head with disbelief, Freya handed the papers to Fratley. She rubbed her forehead, face strained.  
"So much in such a short amount of time." she muttered. "How did he possibly do it all?"  
"Some people say that he was framed," Garnet explained. "I'm not so sure."  
"Who would've framed him?" Freya asked.  
"Julius," Steiner grunted. "Few people believe it, though, because Julius' record is so much shorter."  
"Seems to me that that could explain Meander's long record," Freya said. She sighed, shaking her head. "I don't know. It's just too much. How could he have done it all? Maybe a few offenses, fine, but twenty?"  
"It doesn't make much sense," Fratley said with agreement, reading the papers. "Weird."  
"It is completely possible he did it all. I mean, look at Kuja," Zidane said quietly. "He accomplished so much in only a few months."  
"But Meander, as this paper seems to show, is completely normal," Freya replied. "Kuja was. well. Kuja."  
Zidane shrugged. "Kuja was 'completely normal,' in a way."  
"I suppose, but he had powers like I've never seen," Freya commented. "There is nothing in those papers that speak of super-natural powers within Meander."  
"He could hide them," Zidane suggested.  
"True." That was when Freya remembered something. "The person who kidnapped me had an extremely aggravating and surprising defense bonus. Physical attacks don't hurt him."  
"WHAT?!" Zidane roared, startled.  
"Nothing? Not even a scratch?" Garnet asked in a quieter, calmer voice.  
"Not even," Freya said. "If you tried to attack him, you wouldn't even pierce the skin."  
"Then how the hell did you hurt him?" Zidane asked.  
"Dragon Abilities. Apparently he is vulnerable to magic. Though my Dragon abilities probably aren't nearly as powerful as true magic, they did hurt him," Freya explained.  
Vivi was thinking all this over. "Do you think Armor Break would help with that?"  
"I don't know," Freya replied.  
What the hell is Armor Break? Fratley thought to himself, and his confused face mirrored this thought. Freya saw his confused look and just managed to hold back a sigh.  
"Armor Break eliminates enchantments that cause physical damage to be ineffective. I don't know if it will work on Julius or Meander or whoever kidnapped me, though." Freya told Fratley.  
"That's true. After all, it could just be natural and not be an enchantment at all," Fratley commented.  
"Not many monsters have that, though, let alone people," Steiner grunted. "It has to be an enchantment."  
"Unless the guy's not a human," Zidane commented.  
"What are the chances of that?" Freya asked him.  
"I don't know," Zidane said with a shrug. "But it's all too likely. After all, we barely know anything about this guy. We don't even know what his name is!"  
"If only we did," Freya muttered.  
The group was silent for a while as they thought over everything. It was clear to all of them that instead of getting answered, they only got themselves more confused. Freya finished her tea and stared into the empty mug. Garnet and Zidane were discussing something in low voices. Freya, not concerned about what they were speaking of, did not listen to the conversation. Steiner had, for some reason, taken out his sword and was polishing it. Vivi was watching the window nervously. Fratley was clearly thinking furiously.  
The fireball came through the window so quickly and hit where Freya was so fast that everyone thought she was hit. Soon, however, the thought was doused as Freya landed near the doorway. She had jumped to avoid the attack as quickly as it had come. She stared at the window, eyes flashing angrily.  
Suddenly the human that had kidnapped Freya leapt through the window, landing smoothly on his feet. Freya noted that he appeared to still be injured from their last encounter, though considerably less than Freya ever thought possible.  
Vivi immediately took out his staff while Steiner readied his sword. Zidane took out his daggers, made Garnet go behind him, and looked to make sure Freya was all right. Fratley had drawn his spear and leapt in front of Freya to protect her. A butterfly that had been flying around the room suddenly began a blob of goo, then became a behemoth. Clearly, the butterfly had been Cleo the whole time.  
"Get out of here," Fratley snarled at the human.  
The human gazed at Fratley with cold eyes. He then drew his black sword. Steiner's sword was gathering white energy. Noticing this, the human rushed forward to attack him. Steiner blocked the attack with ease, then slashed the human in the shoulder with Armor Break.  
Nothing happened. The human's shoulder was slashed, but nothing else happened. Everyone was stunned except the human, who chuckled bitterly. He then brought his sword up and tried to bring it down on Steiner's head. Steiner blocked the foolishly made attack with ease.  
"Get out of here, everyone!" Steiner shouted.  
No one moved. Instead, Vivi began to prepare a powerful Firaga spell. Freya took out her Heavy Lance and began to charge it for a Lancer attack. Fratley held his lance out in front of him, and it began to brim with bluish energy. Garnet took out her Tiger Racket while Zidane tried to usher her out of the room. She finally gave him a light tap on the head with her Racket, as if saying "I'm not leaving."  
Suddenly a load of attacks shot straight toward the human. A Firaga spell sped toward him, but the human dodged. By dodging that attack, he was nailed in the right arm with Freya's Lancer attack. He swung his fist and clubbed her in the head with it.  
Fratley spun his spear around, making a blue circle. He then rushed forward and stabbed the human in the right shoulder blade. A deep wound was made as the bluish energy made the wound severely large. Freya stared with surprise.  
"What was that?" she asked.  
"I don't know!" Fratley replied. "I just suddenly knew I should use it."  
Freya sighed with frustration. Clearly she wasn't the only one frustrated. The human swung his sword around and clobbered Freya in the head, causing her to fall to the ground. As she slowly rose to a sitting position, dazed, a whole cataclysm emerged. The human was hit with a Thundaga spell. Seconds after he was meeting an explosion coming from Zidane's Thievery attack. He backed up and away from the crazy mess, looking rather injured. Garnet nailed him with a ball of energy, knocking him over. Steiner raced forward to deliver a devastating Shock attack, but he was knocked backward and into the wall by a sudden fireball coming from the human's hand. Freya kicked the human hard. The human kicked her in return as he rose to his feet. He picked up his sword, but found he had trouble holding it. Suddenly, his sword was gone as Cleo raced forward and knocked it out of his hands using her massive horns. The sword clattered to the floor and was picked up by Freya.  
The human looked truly enraged. He lifted his hand prepared a fire spell. Before it could come to full capacity, though, he gasped and fell to his knees. Everyone was confused until they saw what was in his lower neck.  
A flaming disk with several deadly points was buried deep in the back of his lower neck. Though probably not in a deadly position, the Wing Edge throwing disk had hit in a good area. The human lay gasping while Amarant stepped through the broken window. He had another Wing Edge in his hand.  
Freya lifted her spear to make a final blow. Before she could, however, the human had vanished. She let a stream of curses escape her mouth from shear frustration. Amarant held the Wing Edge at ready, looking around the room suspiciously. No one put away his or her weapons.  
Suddenly the human reappeared and dragged Freya to the ground, startling everyone. Freya readied her spear, struggling, but the minute she and the human hit the ground, they vanished into thin air.  
  
--------- All right, so that's Chapter Eleven. I know that the guards probably would've stopped Amarant and Freya from fighting, but I just had to have them fight because I'm weird. So. Yeah.  
  
Anyhow, what the heck is with this human? How can he survive five billion attacks? How did he 'vanish', and take Freya with him? Will we finally figure out who is responsible for this? Find out eventually =)  
  
This story is copyright to me. Most characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	12. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve  
Unknown Dimension; Mid-Afternoon  
  
Freya squirmed madly as the location changed. The human held her by her neck, tightening his grip so she wouldn't be able to move well. Freya flailed madly, kicking, punching, stabbing, and doing whatever she could to try and release herself from the human's grip. The human's grip became tighter, cutting off her air supply. Freya smashed her spear against the human's head, and the human's grip released slightly, yet Freya was still having trouble breathing. Queasiness suddenly came upon Freya as her stomach churned unexpectantly. Her head pounded, and as the human's grip tightened, she once again couldn't breathe. Panicking, Freya did the one thing she never thought she would do.  
Freya sank her teeth into the human's hand as it passed in front of her jaw. The human yelped and began to shake his left hand around madly to try and release it. Freya sank her teeth in deeper, and the taste of blood came slowly into her mouth. She bit as hard as she could while her mind screamed from lack of oxygen.  
The human's grip on Freya's neck loosened as he flailed his left hand around. Freya's neck cracked, but she ignored the pain as she held on. The human's grip lessened, and then was released. Freya immediately released the human's hand and rose to her feet. She swayed on her feet as nausea washed through her. She was clocked in the back of the head, but this helped her gained her feet, and Freya began to run blindly forward.  
She quickly noticed the scene. She looked to be in the middle of space. Stars twinkled in the sky, and Freya noted that each of these stars had a location in them. Looking around, Freya saw the Dining Room of Alexandria Castle in a star, and everyone was still in there, apparently. She ran blindly toward the star, and watched as it grew closer.  
Suddenly Freya was tackled to what would've been the ground, yet she kept falling. She looked up to see the human, and gasped. The glove on the human's left hand had ripped, revealing two of his fingers. They were not normal fingers. They were humanoid except that they had no nails. They instead had slits that clearly held claws the way a cat's paw did. The claws were safe inside of his "paw", but not for long. Suddenly the claws came out, and they were rather large yet short. They were curved with sharp points. He lashed these claws toward Freya's neck, but Freya lifted her arm and it was slashed. Pain sheared through Freya, and she suddenly felt something suck her and the human in. She struggled madly, trying to get free, but she kept getting sucked into oblivion...  
Freya crashed into the room of the Royal Chamber, the human flattening her as he landed on her. He soon rose, claws ready to slash Freya's throat open. Freya automatically whacked him in the head with her lance. The human, looking a little dizzy from the attack, rose to his feet and backed up. Freya crawled into the wall and used it to rise to her feet. She then began to charge her spear with energy. She felt sick and dizzy, yet she would still fight.  
Freya began to run forward to attack the human, but something she saw caught her by surprise. Losing her guard, the human used this opportunity to slash Freya in the thigh, causing her to stumble and fall to her knees. She was shocked by what she had seen.  
The human's wounds were healing themselves. The human had Regen on! The White Magic spell was healing his wounds automatically! Freya cursed mentally, tired of all the surprises, and beginning to get worried on what others she may not know.  
The human raced forward, ready to slash Freya in the throat. He was cut short both by the pounding of many footsteps up a stairway and by Freya's still-charged Lance. He backed away, then rushed toward Freya as if to grab her. Freya rolled out of the way and watched at the human vanished without a trace.  
That was when Zidane charged into the room, closely followed by Fratley, Vivi, Garnet, Steiner, Beatrix, and Amarant. Fratley immediately raced over, followed by the rest of the crew, except Amarant, who just stood at the doorway.  
"Are you all right?" Fratley asked.  
"You look like you've seen a ghost," Zidane added.  
"Who was the person who attacked you?" Beatrix asked.  
"Where did he go?" Steiner demanded, his Excalibar sword drawn.  
"You look hurt," Garnet commented, kneeling down beside Freya.  
"What happened?" Vivi asked.  
"Please, be quiet!" Freya cried, her head burning.  
"Give her a rest," Amarant grunted. "You're all acting like a bunch of animals."  
"You're an animal, Amarant," Zidane commented.  
"At least he keeps his mouth shut," Freya mumbled.  
"What happened?" Beatrix asked. "Zidane is right. You look spooked."  
Freya was silent. She didn't really know how to explain what happened. It was just too weird, too spooky, and too confusing.  
"You all right?" Fratley asked with deep concern.  
Garnet began to prepare a Curaga spell while Freya stared at the ground. Freya felt ill, and it had risen so quickly. It was yet another thing she couldn't explain or understand.  
"She looks sick," Amarant commented.  
"Yes, though what brought it on so suddenly, I don't know," Fratley commented, lightly feeling Freya's forehead. "She's cold... This is weird..."  
"It didn't come along... until it happened," Freya said quietly.  
Everyone looked confused.  
"What are you talking about?" Zidane asked.  
"'It?' What's 'it?'" Fratley asked gently.  
Freya shook her head, lost for words. She was too confused, nauseous, and worried. Garnet cast Curaga on her, healing all of Freya's wounds. She still felt ill, but she decided to relay a bit of what she saw.  
"The human can Space Teleport," she said. "And he has Regen cast. I don't understand any of this. How can he have so much?"  
"Some people just have that luck," Amarant commented. "But there may be another reason..."  
"Like what?" Freya asked. "I know you know something."  
Amarant sighed. "Ever hear of demons?"  
"Of course," Freya said. "But this human is not a demon."  
"Says who?" Amarant asked.  
"We all saw the guy, Amarant!" Zidane cried. "He was no demon!"  
"Well, he could be a hybrid..." Fratley said thoughtfully.  
Everyone except Amarant stared at him as if he were nuts. Amarant only nodded at Fratley's words.  
"That is exactly what I'm suggesting. Certain demons have a high defense against physical attacks, and a person can teleport. As for the Regen... Someone could've cast it," Amarant grunted.  
"Come to think of it, the human did have demon claws," Freya said thoughtfully. "But we can't be sure. We need to know more. And Amarant, you're the one I requested to do that! Why are you still here?"  
"I'm saving your ass," Amarant replied.  
"I don't need to be saved anymore, though your help was appreciated," Freya said.  
"Whatever," Amarant said. He walked over to the window and jumped through it.  
"He's so weird," Zidane commented.  
"So the human teleported and took you with him?" Beatrix asked Freya.  
Freya nodded, her head still swimming.  
"Then why do you look so sick?" Zidane asked.  
"Teleportation Plague," Garnet replied. "A mysterious disease that strikes quickly and leaves just as swiftly."  
"Hopefully," Freya muttered.  
"Rest is said to help especially," Garnet said, recalling what she learned. "Perhaps you should rest."  
Freya nodded. "That I would like very much."  
  
He didn't like the situation at all.  
Fratley stared out the window, leaning against it. The sun was setting, and everyone was beginning to return home. Freya had been sleeping for the rest of the afternoon. Fratley had never seen her this sick before, and he couldn't remember a time when she was.  
Then again, you're memory sucks, so how would you know, Fratley thought miserably.  
Fratley shook his head and sighed. He turned away from the window and looked around the quiet room. Shrugging helplessly, he left the room, his mind full of turbulent thoughts. He felt useless, empty. He had yet to do something that would help the situation. Yet there was nothing he could think of, nothing he could do. The human kept coming too quickly and with too much power. Not even a whole group could beat him off... Well, they could, but then he just teleported again.  
Fratley was half-way down the stairs when he heard someone in the hallway. He looked in the direction of the sound, and soon saw Beatrix appear. Eyes narrowing slightly, Fratley backed away. Though she had helped, and seemed kind, Fratley did not trust her regardless. He simply couldn't.  
Beatrix quickly located Fratley and looked at him with light confusion.  
"Something... Wrong?" she asked.  
"No," Fratley lied.  
Beatrix had a feeling this was not the case, yet she couldn't question it further. Fratley had already turned around and retreated back into his room. He paced a bit, seeming impatient and nervous, but then finally he took a deep breath, and mentally told himself to calm down. He had to do something, not complain or sulk.  
Fratley looked around, wondering what he could possibly do. He then looked out the window with some disappointment. What could he do? He could do many things... Offer encouragement, protect her, love her. But she was sleeping, so some of those things simply did not work out well. Sighing and shaking his head, Fratley turned back toward his spear.  
Protect... That's the best I could do. Yet am I prepared? I could use a few things... Correction, I could use a lot of things, Fratley thought.  
Fratley blinked slowly and walked over to his pack. He opened it and took out a small pouch. It was made of leather, yet decorated with red geometric shapes and lines. Leather bound it together at the top. Fratley pulled at the leather string, opening the pouch with ease. Within it lay many Gil coins. Fratley nodded lightly to himself. He then closed the pouch by quickly tying the string around the pouch. He picked up the pouch and placed it in his pocket. He turned to the door, then stopped. Something within him did not like the idea of going out of the door when Beatrix could still be out there. He could probably just say hello and be nice, but he had a strange feeling she would somehow know how he felt.  
So Fratley made it simple for him. He walked over to the window, opened it, and jumped right out. He plummeted from about 50 feet and finally landed on the ground, hitting so hard he fell to his hands and knees. Though having survived without problems, Fratley's feet smarted from the hard landing, and his knees and hands were scraped. Muttering about his foolishness, Fratley rose shakily to his feet and looked around. He looked up to the castle briefly, frowning slightly. Freya would probably worry about where he was... Yet she was most likely sleeping. Waking her up would most likely annoy her. It would be better to let her sleep.  
Nodding to himself, Fratley turned toward the city and began to slowly walk toward the stream separating the main city from the castle. He had a lot of things to buy and learn. He wondered how long it would take before he'd be back.  
  
A soft knock on the door brought Freya out of her half-asleep state. She looked toward the door, wondering who it was.  
"Enter," she said.  
The door opened, and Beatrix stepped through. The two knights stared at each other with surprise. They both thought that each other wasn't fond of the other. Freya thought Beatrix despised her because of who she was, while Beatrix thought Freya was still angry about the attack on Burmecia. Actually, Beatrix admired Freya's skills and Freya had just about forgiven Beatrix, but they didn't know that at all.  
An uncomfortable silence came after Beatrix closed the door. She sat down on a chair near the bed and stared at the ground. Freya stared at Beatrix with confusion.  
"Hello," Freya said.  
The word seemed so short and stupid that Freya felt ashamed and fell silent once again. The silence was even more uncomfortable, and Beatrix looked up from the ground and stared at Freya.  
"Hello," Beatrix said in return.  
Now both knights felt extremely stupid, not to mention they were both absolutely sure that the other didn't like them now.  
"What brings you here?" Freya asked, breaking the silence with a reasonable question.  
"Well," Beatrix said, going back to staring at the ground. "I saw Fratley leaving the castle."  
"You did?" Freya asked with shock.  
Beatrix nodded. "Yes. I was on break when I saw him heading for the main city."  
Freya stared at her hands for a few moments, trying to figure out what Fratley could've left for. She looked back up at Beatrix for a moment.  
"Where do you think he's going?" she asked.  
Beatrix took a deep breath as she stared at the ceiling. "I think he headed off to try and find more about whoever kidnapped you."  
Freya's blood turned cold as she shook her head. Somehow, no matter how much she wanted to not believe it, it seemed likely.  
"Perhaps I should've stopped him," Beatrix commented.  
"No, he's not your responsibility," Freya said, shaking her head.  
"Perhaps not," Beatrix said in agreement. "But why is he doing this? Surely he knows the dangers?"  
"I'm sure he does," Freya said softly, deep in thought. "We don't even know if he's really leaving, though..."  
The uncomfortable silence returned. Quietly Beatrix rose.  
"I will leave you now," she said. "Get well."  
Beatrix walked over to the door and was about to open it when Freya spoke.  
"Beatrix, wait a moment," Freya said.  
Beatrix took her hand from the doorknob and turned to face Freya. Freya took a deep breath.  
"Do you know anything about Julius or Meander?" she asked. "Anything at all?"  
  
Beatrix stared at the ground as she thought. Soon, she spoke.  
"I know one thing about Julius," she said. "But I do not know if it would be helpful."  
"Any information would be most appreciated," Freya told her.  
"Well," Beatrix said, pausing. "Julius was first spotted on the Mist Continent in 1778. He was in Burmecia, and only two days later, Eroy was killed by Meander... Or so they say."  
"Are you inferring... That Julius killed Eroy?" Freya asked, her blood turning to ice.  
"I am," Beatrix answered. "It just makes more sense. If Meander had killed Eroy, wouldn't he have been spotted and not Julius?"  
"He could've been hiding," Freya pointed out in a shaky voice.  
"Perhaps... Is something wrong?" Beatrix asked.  
Freya took a deep breath. "Eroy... Is my father. He died before I was born."  
Beatrix was stunned. "I-I'm sorry."  
Beatrix left the room quickly, quietly closing the door. Freya stared at the closed door, then down at the bed. Julius, kill Eroy? Yet Alexandria's record of Meander said Meander killed Eroy. Yet now it appears that Julius had been in Burmecia two days before he was killed. Was it possibly that Julius and Meander were the same person?  
And Fratley. Where did he go? Did he leave? Was he upset with Freya? Did he want to try and help? Freya shook her head. Her head ached enough from the Teleportation Plague. Worrying and thinking only made it worse.  
Freya laid her head down on the pillow. She sighed, frustrated and worried. Why did it suddenly feel like the entire world was on her shoulders, and she wasn't strong enough to hold it?  
  
------- Rewrote the ending of this chapter (weeeeee)  
  
Warp: Black Mage Teleportation spell from the original Final Fantasy IX where the person is dematerialized, travels at the speed of light, and returns to normal at a different location.  
  
Space Teleportation: The Teleporter teleports to a different dimension where stars hold all locations on Gaia. From there they can use the stars to get to their location. Changes in pressure, gravity, etc. often cause people who do not travel this way often to become sick, and rest is the only cure because it calms the body and allows it to adjust.  
  
Alacrity Teleportation: Instant teleporting. No dematerializing or dimensions. Very rare ability.  
  
Oh, and I'm terribly sorry about the delay! I was having a bit of a Writer's Block, though I think it's gone now. Also, the ZIP disk that holds my stories is doing funky things, and files are being corrupted (I already lost Chapter Fourteen of this story! =( ) So if things are slow, I am so sorry! Don't give up on me!  
  
This story is copyright to me. Most locations, characters, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen  
Nolrich Heights; Yeti Springs; Midnight  
  
A dream, a nightmare to be exact. A nightmare coming from a person who really didn't need nightmares. A cry, a dream-cry, for help to a person who couldn't help, screamed in his mind. Then it died, replaced by a feeling of true sorrow.  
Wanderer took a deep breath and opened his russet eyes to stare at the looming clouds. Soft flurries fell onto his face, and the rest of him was untouched since he was mostly underwater. He closed his eyes again and concentrated on the dreamer. Slowly he sank under the frothy waters of the springs.  
She was not leading the best life. She was not injured, at least not in a physical sense, but she was ill with Teleportation Plague. Her boyfriend, apparently, had left without a goodbye, and she was fearful for his safety. She was being stalked, and – suddenly Wanderer recognized the dreamer.  
So Freya had made it out of the mountains. Sure, now she was sick and most unhappy, but Wanderer could change that. He opened his eyes, then quickly regretted it as the waters stung his eyes. He slowly floated to the surface of the water and sprayed a bunch of water out of his mouth.  
"Once again Eroy will be performing his magic, Landloper," Wanderer told his dog, who was resting on a fur blanket. "How exciting, no?"  
Landloper only yawned. Clearly he wasn't excited. Wanderer drew two lines in front of his eyes, leaving the burning trail. He closed his eyes, concentrating on Freya, and what she had looked like last time he saw her. When he opened his eyes, he found himself staring at Freya, and she looked sick. He touched the vision lightly with his index finger, and was teleported straight to Freya's mind. There were enough memories to choose from once he broke through the nightmare.  
One looked especially promising during such a time. Burmecians were suckers for dates on roofs, and apparently Freya was no exception. One peaceful night she and Fratley had a date on a roof during the spring. It sounded nice; not necessarily Wanderer's thing, but nice.  
Carefully Wanderer reached out a hand and took the memory. It came as a soft string. He made it easy to grasp, then took the nightmare. He pulled out right to his face. Wanderer then took the memory thread and carefully snapped it in two. The two pieces quickly grew to become two of the same memory. Replacing one memory strand back in its original position, Wanderer then snapped a small piece form the nightmare. He took the other memory strand and added the nightmare piece. The memory strand became a dream. Wander then carefully placed the dream back into its rightful position. Freya could sleep easy now.  
As for the nightmare... Wanderer took the nightmare strand and crushed it. It fell as a soft powder into the springs. Wanderer then brushed the fiery lines away, along with the vision. He felt tired, but satisfied.  
"The Dreamweaver works again," he said with satisfaction.  
Landloper yawned and laid his head down. He watched as his owner swam into an upright position. Wanderer squeezed the water out of his long roan hair. He swam to the edge of the springs and got out. Shivering in the cold air, he looked over at Landloper to find he was taking up two blankets.  
"Hey, I need one of those," Wanderer said, grabbing the edge of one blanket and pulling.  
Landloper reluctantly moved off one of the blankets. Wanderer wrapped it around him and sat near Landloper. The warmth of the Great Dane's body was helping to dry him off and keep him warm in the frigid air. Silence passed for a few moments until Wanderer heard footsteps. Swiftly yet silently Wanderer tossed the blanket aside and dived into the springs. Landloper followed equally swiftly. Silently they swam under the waterfall supplying the spring waters. Wanderer surfaced and stared through the powerful waterfall while Landloper settled on a boulder near the waterfall. They were hidden from view.  
Four humans stepped into the area. One of them was dressed completely in black and appeared to be limping. Another was a 15-year-old girl with gorgeous, long brown hair, a tight leather suit, and a Wizard Rod. Her hair was tied back in a braid. A 17-year-old man with a Black Mage outfit was with them, but he had no pointy hat and his face was perfectly human except for the fact that his normal-looking eyes were yellow. His staff appeared to be a Cypress Pile. The final person in the group was a 30-year-old who was apparently a tracker.  
"No one is here," the Black Mage commented.  
"But they were," the tracker said. "Look at the mess. And the tracks are fresh."  
"They are from a Burmecian," the girl said.  
"Don't worry about it," the man in black said. "Let's just camp here briefly."  
The Black Mage nodded and took off a pack slumped around his shoulders. The man in black also took off a pack and began setting up a campfire. The girl knelt down beside the springs.  
"I could use a bath," she moaned softly. The man in black threw a fur blanket at her.  
"Then take one. We won't look," he said gruffly.  
The girl shed her clothes and waded into the stream. Landloper and Wanderer exchanged glances. Hoping she wouldn't come near the waterfall, Wanderer held his breath. To his relief, the man in black spoke.  
"Don't go far," the man in black told the girl as she surfaced. "There may be something behind that waterfall, and we don't want you eaten."  
"Fine," the girl said, and Wanderer allowed himself to breathe.  
The man in black had a fireplace set up. The Black Mage started a fire, then returned to getting supplies out. The man in black walked over to Wanderer's stuff and began rummaging through it while the tracker examined the snow and rocks.  
"There's a lot of good crap in here," the man in black said.  
"Like what?" the tracker asked.  
"Food, weapons, medicine, and Gil," the man in black said. "I don't think we can carry it all though."  
"Let's take what we can, then," the girl said as she got out of the springs and wrapped the blanket around her. Her hair was no longer in a braid and she began to wring it. "We could use the medicine and food."  
"What weapons are there?" the Black Mage asked.  
"Javelins, arrows, and a sword," the man in black said as he took the medicine out of Wanderer's supplies.  
"Ah, nothing good," the girl moaned.  
"Except the arrows," the Black Mage said. "Are they suitable for the crossbow?"  
"Yes, some of them," the man in black said. He took most of the arrows out of Wanderer's supplies, then took a bunch of food. "There. That should be all we can take."  
Wanderer clenched his fists, yet didn't move. Landloper almost growled but Wanderer silenced him with a glare. The man in black opened his pack and put the supplies he took from Wanderer's stuff into his pack. The Black Mage settled down in front of the fire and took out some food. The girl, now fully dressed, sat beside him and began to eat some of the food. The tracker also sat down, as did the man in black. They all began to eat slowly.  
"How far are we from Burmecia?" the girl asked.  
"Not far. We probably only need to travel another day," the man in black said.  
"I still don't understand why we're going there. She isn't there," the Black Mage said with confusion.  
"Because the king is there, and so is Ebon," the man in black grunted. "I have a perfect idea to give ourselves a little entertainment and to insure that the rat we're after won't be returning back to her place of sanctuary."  
"Oh," the Black Mage said. "So basically we're going to kill the king?"  
"You learn quickly," the man in black said.  
"I heard the king was only a kid," the girl said.  
"But he has enough guards, spunk, and Dragon Knights to boot," the man in black said. "Don't worry. We have a challenge on the way. We have to kill the king, and then make Ebon look like the perfect king..."  
"What good does it do to make Ebon king?" the tracker asked.  
"He hates her," the man in black said simply.  
A silence followed as the group understood what the man in black meant. Wanderer hoped he could remember this conversation. He wished he could move, but the slightest movement would draw the group's attention. Landloper yawned lazily, then rose to his feet, claws scraping the rock.  
"What was that?" the girl asked.  
"Just a critter," the man in black said.  
"Pretty big critter," the Black Mage said.  
"Yeah, well leave it alone," the man in black grunted. "We need to save our strength."  
The other three nodded in agreement. Wanderer slowly lowered himself into the water, not only to make no sudden moves, but because he could only move slowly. The girl looked up, but she saw nothing but a disturbance of water near the waterfall. Soon, everyone else was looking up as they heard something else enter the water. Slowly Wanderer swam through the water, closely followed by Landloper, who managed to keep completely submerged. Then, they both stopped moving. Wanderer carefully placed himself in a jumping position.  
Suddenly Wanderer leapt out of the water, napped a few arrows and his bow, and jumped back in. He appeared almost lame as one leg dragged along with him, yet by moving on all fours, he moved swiftly enough. The man in black stood up, drawing his sword, but Wanderer was already gone.  
"What was that?" the girl asked nervously.  
"I don't know," the man in black said. "Some white monster, probably."  
"A Yeti?" the tracker asked, nervous.  
"No, too small," The Black Mage said.  
The Black Mage rose and peered into the waters. Suddenly an arrow flew out of the frothy spring waters and nailed the Black Mage in the eye. He screamed with pain and fell into the waters. Wanderer grabbed him and tugged him downward. The Black Mage struggled, but he clearly wasn't a good swimmer. Wanderer dragged the Black Mage downward, but then he felt someone toss him aside. He bumped into Landloper, who would've snarled but he was underwater. Wanderer took his bow, loaded it, and shot an arrow at the man in black, who had dived under. The man in black knocked the arrow aside and swam over quickly. He slashed Wanderer in the chest, then grabbed the Black Mage and surfaced. Wanderer floated slightly to the top, stunned, and he could hear voices.  
"What was that?" the girl was asking fearfully.  
"Simply a mad creature," the man in black lied. "He won't give us trouble."  
"I don't like it here," the girl said nervously. "Can't we camp a little bit away from here?"  
"I second that," the Black Mage said with a cough.  
"Fine," the man in black said with exasperation. "Fine."  
The four packed up in left. Landloper grabbed Wanderer by the neck and swam to shore with him. Wanderer lay gasping, staring at the slightly reddish waters of the spring. He was freezing, but that was not the problem.  
"Landloper... Get something to help," Wanderer gasped.  
Landloper was rummaging through Wanderer's pack, and soon he came up with a potion that the four people had overlooked. He gnawed at the cork and soon managed to dislodge it. Carefully Landloper brought the potion to Wanderer, and Wanderer reached out and drank it. Soon, the potion reduced his chest wound to a serious wound, yet not a wound that would kill Wanderer in minutes.  
Wanderer carefully got himself into a sitting position, one of his legs lying stiff and still in front of him. He reached out and grabbed his blanket and wrapped it around himself. His chest wound was still bleeding, but not as badly as it was. Sensing Wanderer's need for the pack, Landloper nosed the pack over to his owner. Wanderer looked through it to find that all was taken except for a bit of food, his water, his clothes, his machete, the javelins, and his largest arrows. Wanderer let out a heavy sigh, making his chest hurt. He took his machete and used it to slice off a good chunk of the fur blanket. He wrapped this chunk around his wound, then grabbed the leather string he normally used to make sure the pack was closed extra-tight. He used this string to tie the chunk of fur blanket tied to his wound. It was crude, but it would have to do. Wanderer then dressed.  
Slowly Wanderer crawled over to the fur blanket Landloper was laying on. Wrapping the other one around his body, Wanderer stared up at the cloudy sky. The snow was falling more rapidly.  
You'll make it out of this, Wanderer thought. You're Eroy the Dreamweaver. You can make it. You have to.  
He soon fell unconscious.  
  
Freya's night had certainly been a curious one. A horrifying nightmare she had been having suddenly became a peaceful dream, and though it allowed her to have a very refreshing sleep, she woke up confused. The sun appeared to be fairly high in the sky, and a black cat lay watching Freya.  
"Did Fratley return?" Freya asked the black cat.  
"No," the black cat answered, making Freya sure she was Cleo. "He still gone."  
Freya sighed as she stared out the window. "Does anyone know any more about the situation?"  
"I no know. Queen look through records but she find nothing on Julius," Cleo chirped.  
Freya sighed again. "I see."  
She looked past the buildings and toward the horizon, where she could see dark clouds heading toward the mountains. She wished she were back home, regardless of the storm that was heading in Burmecia's direction. She wished Fratley had never left in the first place many years ago, and she wished she would stop wishing things and actually try to do something.  
Slowly Freya rose from the bed, her head swimming. Cleo watched her with worry. Freya slowly walked over to the door, stumbling. She took a deep breath.  
"You okay?" Cleo asked.  
"I'm fine. I am not going to hang around in bed when this is going on," Freya said.  
Cleo morphed into a massive dog-like creature around the size of a leopard with green eyes, long white fur, long ears, and a massive mouth full of sharp teeth. She padded over to Freya.  
"A Bandersnatch? Is that really necessary?" Freya asked.  
"It strong and you ride me anyway!" Cleo chirped.  
Freya could only stare as Cleo hoisted Freya onto her back. Cleo then opened the door using her large curled tail and bounded outside.  
"Where to?" Cleo asked.  
"This is ridiculous," Freya said, shaking her head. "All right, the library. Just don't knock anyone-"  
Cleo was already bounding down the stairs and sending Beatrix crashing to the ground. Freya leapt off the wild shapeshifter and toppled down the stairs as well.  
"Sorry... She's a little hyper," Freya told Beatrix, as she made an attempt to rise.  
"And she's straight out the door," Beatrix commented, watching Cleo bound away.  
Freya turned around and watched Cleo bound off. She shook her head and turned back to Beatrix. "You all right?"  
"Fine," Beatrix said. "Quite the stunt you just did."  
"I was going to fall off eventually anyway," Freya said. Unable to rise without her head spinning, she simply sat on the steps. "Cleo will eventually return."  
"What are you doing up?" Beatrix asked, stepping down the stairs and staring at Freya.  
"I don't want to be bedridden at such a time," Freya said. "That's all I need to do, make everyone one else do something and get killed in my sleep. I was going to head to the library and see if I could find anything at all that could be useful."  
Beatrix nodded. "And what about Cleo?"  
"Blame her for that. I was going to walk."  
"How so?"  
"I would manage."  
The two knights heard footsteps and looked up to see Zidane rounding the corner. He stared at them.  
"What are you doing?" he asked them.  
"Blame Cleo," Beatrix and Freya said together.  
"Huh?" Zidane asked, evidently confused.  
"Let me explain..." Freya began. "I wanted to go to the library but Cleo insisted that I ride her there. She was going too fast, however, and knocked Beatrix over. I leapt off Cleo so I could make sure Beatrix was all right, resulting in me crashing down the stairs. We've just been talking, waiting for Cleo to return."  
"Who's Cleo?" Zidane asked.  
"A shapeshifter Fratley freed from a bottle," Freya said.  
Beatrix couldn't help but chuckle. "A bottle?"  
"Even I don't know the full details," Freya said with a sigh. "Ask him if he comes back."  
"He will come back," Zidane said.  
Freya lowered her gaze to the floor.  
How can you be so sure, Zidane? Freya thought grimly. How can any of us be so sure that Fratley will return?  
"Lo and behold," Beatrix said softly. "She returns."  
Freya lifted her head and watched as Cleo bounded over to the stairs. Zidane stared at her with shock.  
"How did a Bandersnatch get in here?" he asked, grabbing for his dagger.  
"It's not a Bandersnatch," Freya said. "It's Cleo."  
Cleo morphed into her spiritual form. Zidane stared at her briefly, then put away his dagger.  
"Freya, why you jump off?" Cleo asked.  
"Cleo..." Freya trailed off, then took a deep breath. "Cleo, I know you're trying to help, but... I don't need you to do so much. You can go enjoy yourself, but if you really insist you can stick around if I need help..."  
"Okay!" Cleo chirped morphing into a Trick Sparrow. She then fluttered on Freya's shoulder.  
"You remind of a scarecrow, Freya," Zidane said with amusement  
"Thanks, Zidane," Freya said with a grunt.  
Freya put her hand on the wall and slowly pushed herself to her feet. She wobbled slightly, but when Beatrix went to try and assist her, Freya waved her away. She soon kept herself steady and stepped down the steps carefully.  
"I'm going to the library," Freya said.  
"Okay. Take it easy, okay?" Zidane said.  
"I will," Freya said as she headed slowly toward the library.  
"No you won't," Zidane muttered under his breath, but Freya didn't hear him.  
  
It was a good thing the largest encyclopedia in the library was on the bottom shelf. Otherwise Freya would've dropped it on her stomach and pinned herself to the floor, and she was having enough trouble rising already.  
Freya did drop the book, but it ended up on her foot and not her stomach. At that point Freya just managed not to scream, but she had figured out how much information was in the book. Kneeling down carefully, Freya picked the heavy book up and away from her throbbing foot. She rose to her feet and limped over to a small wooden table near the massive bookcase. No one paid attention to her, for they knew any offers to help would be politely but firmly declined.  
Freya placed the heavy book on the table, and it randomly opened to a page. "Burmecia," the top of the page said. Freya smiled at the irony. Well, that wouldn't get her anywhere, and she already knew everything there was to know about her own home. Freya sat down in a chair and began flipping through the pages in massive chunks. B's, B's, B's... Freya continued flipping idly. B's, B's, C's – hey, a new letter! Freya continued flipping, then suddenly stopped on a page that startled her.  
At the very top of the page with the symbol she had seen before. The pentagon with the sword and Leviathan was on the page with the words "Collaboration of Leviathan" written next to it. Freya felt a shiver run down her spine at the words. The words held a spooky feeling, and Freya didn't like it at all. She leaned over the encyclopedia and began to read:  
  
"The Collaboration of Leviathan, or COL, is a powerful and deadly organization started by a man named Julius (see pg. 480)."  
  
Reading only that one sentence made Freya's blood run cold. Julius? Immediately the article dragged Freya in. She continued to read:  
  
"The exact date that the Collaboration was started is not known. Around 1770 an unusually high record of murders began to rise, and most of the victims were Burmecians. Therefore it is assumed that the Collaboration began at that time. The Collaboration either hires or trains assassins to perform sneaky and sudden deaths. Their victims are believed to be chosen, not random, and they are almost always female Burmecians. It is believed that the goal of the Collaboration is to drive the Burmecians to extinction.  
"The Collaboration has very quick and sneaky ways of attacking. The most popular method recorded is an arrow to the back, fired by a crossbow. The arrows are very small and therefore hard to detect or hear. They clearly deliver an instant death. Another method is poison, though how the poison is administered is not known. The most popular poison used is Burning Acid (se pg. 289). This poison delivers a slow and painful death. Swords are also used. Various victims have been found with their chests slashed open. Other methods have been used, including kidnapping, but they are very rare.  
"The Collaboration is spread out on the Lost, Mist, and Demi-human Continents. They are more numerous on the Mist and Demi-human Continents. Only one of the their headquarters, however, has been discovered. It was found near Tessaih and is very close to the Doorian Coast. It is believed that this location was chosen because of its closeness to major travelling areas. Travelers have been advised to stay away from the Collaboration territory due to attacks.  
"As mentioned before, it is believed that the Collaboration's goal is to drive the Burmecians to extinction. Though once the plan to do this was unknown, a plan has been discovered. All victims suspected of being murdered by the Collaboration are female Burmecians. Though many ages have been killed, normally women between the ages of 15 and 40 are selected and killed. This is the same age group that normally is able to and does bear children. Many victims were also pregnant when murdered. This has drawn many to the conclusion that the Collaboration will achieve its goals by killing all female Burmecians."  
  
At this point Freya turned away from the book and stared at the ceiling. Her heart was pounding. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat, but it refused to leave. Taking a shaky breath, Freya wiped away the drool that had somehow managed to find its way to Freya's lips. Was she being stalked by more than a person? Was a whole Collaboration stalking her?  
Crap, Freya thought, turning back to the book. Crap, crap, crap.  
She continued to read the remaining paragraphs.  
  
"A belief surfaced near the beginning of the deaths that a serpent may be used to kill victims. The only proofs known are serpent bite marks and a slimy substance near the victims. Leviathan also appears on the symbol of the Collaboration, further supporting the belief. It was discarded, however, when no other proof could be found. Some still believe it, however, and spread the belief. One thing that is known, however, is that Behemoths are used by the Collaboration for transportation, lugging of goods, and even attacking. People are advised to stay away from the massive beasts, as they are not tamed and appear to be trained to attack.  
"No counterattack against the Collaboration has been successful, however, safety precautions have been formed. Special armor, bodyguards, and even fighting back have all been suggested, but none have been proven to work. Entire armies have been fought back. Alexandria's powerful troops, led by General Beatrix, were completely blown back when an attempt to fight them was tried in 1793. This, and other battles, have caused the Collaboration and all of its members to be classified as 'armed and deadly'."  
  
Freya looked up from the book. She was sweating by this point, though she did not understand exactly what made her so nervous. Surely she could make it through this! Surely, even if an entire Collaboration was after her...  
"Shit," Freya muttered as she began to flip to page 480.  
To Freya's surprise, there was very little about Julius:  
  
"Julius is a mysterious and highly dangerous man born on the Demi- human Continent. All of his past is unknown, and much about him is also unsure. He has been suspected for over 50 murders in various places, and for each one he has never been caught.  
"Julius is the supposed starter of the Collaboration of Leviathan (see pg. 322) and is an expert assassin. His first murder was said to be committed in Tessaih around 1768. A female Burmecian was found dead in her home, an arrow through her back. Various murders were committed sparingly until around 1770, when the murders began to skyrocket. For each Julius was blamed, but no proof has come as of yet.  
"Examinations of victims and the few successful spies have revealed many things about the types of weapons and methods of killing Julius uses. He is an expert with a crossbow, and he also has this small, silent crossbow fit with small yet need-sharp arrows. This silent weapon creates only a slight "snap" when the arrow is fired, making it harder to hear than most crossbows. He also holds a powerful, black sword that is believed to be one of the Brother Swords (see pg. 220). Julius can also cast powerful Fire spells, and he is an expert at aiming and throwing. Commonly, Julius' attacks are swift and instant, though he has also delivered long and painful deaths using various attacks and poisons. His most common method of killing is a swift crossbow arrow, but if it does not work, careful observation has shown that he turns to either his sword or swift beatings.  
  
"Julius is also terrifyingly strong. He is very resistant to attacks of any sort, and recovers quickly. He moves swiftly and silently, and attacks without warning. Anyone who is being stalked by him is advised to be on his or her top guard. He has been classified as 'armed and highly dangerous'."  
  
Freya sighed deeply, stressed. She closed the massive book. Meander had a massive crime record. If the article on Julius was bad, she could only imagine Meander's. Slowly Freya rose from the table. Cleo had left a while ago, but she quickly returned to put away the encyclopedia, which Freya had left on the table due to being distracted. Quietly Freya limped out of the library and toward her room. She didn't look at anyone or speak to them. She was too distracted; she was too stressed.  
  
Night offered Freya no consolation. Hours later, she stared at the dark ceiling, her fairly good eyesight making out relative details on the wall. She changed her look to the door, and she could make out the doorknob in the dead of the night. Uneasy, she looked to the window. The moons were just beginning to reach the middle of the grand sky. The stars twinkled softly from beneath clouds that were gathering in the far distance. The night was as peaceful as any night could get.  
Freya yawned, but she did not want to allow herself to sleep. Her fear was a natural thing for her to feel, though she had not yet comprehended the true fear that she felt. Freya thought she only felt caution and nervousness, not downright fear. Regardless, her instinct knew: "Thou shall not sleep until peace has come upon the night."  
By the time the moons were at their highest peak, exhaustion had taken its toll. Peace seemed to dominate the night and Freya, though it was against her own will, fell asleep.  
  
At the same time, hidden on a strong chandelier in the castle in the Kingdom of Eternal Rain, a black-eyed man with a small crossbow loaded with a needle-sharp arrow muttered a singe word in a quiet yet firm voice.  
"Strike."  
  
------------- Do you know who did it? You can make a conclusion at this point, but it's all right if you don't know who is after Freya: Meander or Julius. If you do know, however, don't say: Let's not spoil it for the others =)  
  
Rewrote part of this chapter.  
  
This chapter was full of a lot of information, so if you weren't paying attention, read again! Hehe, anyway, will Puck be killed? What the heck is with Wanderer, and who is he? Find out as the story continues! =)  
  
Thank you to all reviewers. You are very patient and friendly people for dealing with my insanity, delays, and problems gives you all a cookie or two And it's amazing that I had no delay this time, no?  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen  
???  
  
Was she walking? She could not be sure, as she didn't feel anything, at least not yet. She couldn't see. Were her eyes closed? Maybe that was the problem. She tried to open her eyes, but they refused. She tried to scream, but nothing came out. She tried to run, but she went no where and followed the steady strut of the person she was trapped within.  
Then, suddenly, she felt pain. Something sheered through the skin and flesh of the person who had her trapped. She felt the pain. Was she this person's soul? She felt the person buckle down and collapse. She heard voices.  
"You there! How dare you try to assassinate our king!"  
"Your king means nothing to me, and neither does your existence. Leave, or you shall die with him."  
"We're not goin' anywhere! Darin' ta attack our king means ya get ta experience a place called 'ell! If ya don' leave, ya are goin' ta be feelin' it!"  
"You are Dari? How wonderful. If you would care to remember you would know what happened the last time your pitiful race tried to double- cross the COL. History shall now get pretty close to repeating itself."  
She heard weapons clash and people shout. The pain was unbearable. Then, suddenly, her mouth opened.  
"NO! NOT NOW! NOT EVER!"  
  
Freya woke up screaming the last sentence. She bolted into a sitting position, face wet with sweat. Panting, she looked around the room. It was peaceful. Not a single creature was in it besides her.  
What was that dream? What was going on in Burmecia? Someone was under attack. All those voices were so familiar. Gray, Aireff, Puck, and that human – were they all in Burmecia? What was with Puck? Why had he screamed that sentence at the end? And why had Freya screamed it?  
Had she been in Puck? It made no sense. Freya didn't understand.  
Someone knocked on the door, and Freya went stiff. Of course, if someone wanted to hurt her they wouldn't have bothered knocking, but this thought did not cross Freya's confused, panicked mind. She kept as silent as a mouse, not daring to even breathe as she stared at the door. Then, slowly she shifted down into a sleep-like position.  
The door opened, and Freya closed her eyes. She remembered something she had learned.  
If someone enters the room, do not clench your eyes shut. They will know you're not sleeping. Freya allowed her entire body to relax, and she soon felt like a rag doll. She forced her breathing into sleep-like patterns. Someone walked over.  
"You awake?" Zidane asked.  
No, I'm sleeping, Freya thought. I never woke up. I never screamed myself awake. I've been sleeping the entire time and you heard nothing. Go back to bed, Zidane. Don't let me worry you. Go away.  
Had Freya screamed so loud as to wake the ones in the Royal Bedrooms? Wait, how did Freya know Zidane slept there? How did she even know he slept here in the first place?  
Zidane knew Freya wasn't sleeping, but if she didn't want to talk, there was nothing he could do. He walked out of the room and shut the door. Freya slowly rose to a sitting position after the door was closed. She looked around frantically. After all the sights she had seen and thoughts she had had when she had been travelling a year before, she never thought she could feel this way.  
She was scared.  
  
Freya was quiet the entire day. She didn't make eye contact with anyone. She crawled away from people, staying in her room most of the day. She didn't eat, though she drank more than enough of water. Only once did she go outside. It was evening, and she stared endlessly in the distance, as if expecting someone to pop out of the ground and save her.  
"What's wrong with her?" Garnet asked Zidane quietly.  
"I don't know," Zidane replied. "But I think the guards should be on duty tonight."  
  
It had been hard enough for Freya to fall asleep when night finally came. Once she fell asleep, nightmares haunted her. She dreamt of her own death many times, each more gruesome than the next, of giant serpents, and of Burmecians being tortured.  
At last she woke. When she did, it was pitch black, and cold metal was being pressed against her throat. She brought her head upward, further revealing her vulnerable throat while she brought her legs upward. Her clawed feet latched against the cold blade and pushed it away from her throat. She then threw the blanket off her, tearing the material, and leapt off the bed and on her feet.  
It was accomplished in four seconds. Freya felt dizzy on her feet, but she located four people in the room within seconds. There was a teenaged girl, a male who appeared to be a Black Mage despite his looks, a man in his 30s who appeared to be a tracker, and the human in black who wanted Freya dead. The girl held a racket, the Black Mage had a staff, the tracker held a knife, and the man in black held a crossbow.  
Freya had nothing.  
Immediately Freya heard a snap, and she rolled out of the way of a sharp arrow. She was instead hit by a Fire spell that knocked her to the ground. Freya leapt to her feet, rushed forward, and kicked the Black Mage to the ground. The side of her head was slashed by the tracker, and he received a punch in the face for his attack.  
No longer did it matter that Freya was ill. Adrenaline had kicked in.  
Blood dripped from the slash across Freya's head, and it stained her silver hair pink. Freya cartwheeled away from a Fira spell. She then kicked out and knocked the Black Mage to the ground. His staff spun away from him. The tracker moved to pick it up, but Freya kicked him away. She then had to roll away as another snap met her ears. The arrow punctured the wood behind her.  
A little more maneuvering to the right would get Freya her spear, but the man in black was already rushing forward, his crossbow loaded. How he had loaded it so quickly was beyond Freya, but she knew she had to avoid him. She leapt to the right only to be knocked to the ground by a Water spell. She crashed into her spear, but she did at least get it.  
Freya spun her spear around in her left hand. It charged with white energy. She avoided a Fira spell and used it to make a new target: the Black Mage. The Black Mage ran out of the way, so Freya changed coarse and slashed the tracker's stomach. The white energy made the wound larger. The tracker almost yelped, but his mouth was clamped shut by the man in black.  
"No loud sounds," the man in black whispered.  
Freya suddenly slammed her slightly charged spear into the man in black's stomach. He swung his fist around and clubbed her in the head. Freya stumbled to the ground. She threw her spear backward, back-rolled, then retrieved it on her way up. She avoided a crossbow arrow in the process.  
Freya felt a shearing pain in her shoulder blades. She whipped around and automatically slashed the throat of the person behind her. That person happened to be the tracker, who had risen and sneaked behind her. Choking, he fell to the ground.  
A cataclysm followed the tracker's fall. Suddenly the whole room was engulfed in a Firaga spell. The spell singed Freya's fur and clothing. She stumbled on her feet as the fire roared. A bright light suddenly replaced the fire, blinding Freya temporarily with its brightness. Freya stumbled backward, and she felt something being forced into her back. Thankfully, the blade had been misaimed and hit nothing vital.  
Finally, the bright light cleared, though it took some time before Freya's sight returned. She couldn't believe it. She was the only one hurt! The White Mage was more powerful than she looked.  
Suddenly a horrifying high sound filled the room, its deafening tone filling Freya's sensitive ears. As she stumbled over the tracker's lifeless body, she noticed that she seemed to be the only one who heard it.  
She didn't hear the snap, and she felt an arrow lodge itself in her lower neck. The pain jumpstarted her body and she leapt to her feet. She grabbed her spear and tried to slash the Black Mage's stomach open. She didn't succeed, for he moved out of the way. She slashed air. Her ears were still ringing from the sound, which had left. She didn't know what it was.  
Freya stumbled around and tried to deliver an attack to the human in black. She saw him lift some to his lips and blow into it. The horrifying sound came again, and Freya came to the realization that the instrument he held was like a dog whistle. In this case, it was a Burmecian torture device.  
Suddenly Freya was hit full-force by a Thundaga spell. The lightning surged through her body and took any adrenaline that had survived the last attack. She tried to scream, but no sound came out. Her vision dimmed, and she felt like she was dying.  
The Thundaga spell finally ended after 40 seconds. Freya slumped to the ground. She made an attempt to rise, and just succeeded. She stumbled about, only half-aware of her surroundings.  
The man in black saw the opportunity. He shifted his sword slightly, then rushed forward. He slashed Freya's upper leg.  
The pain sheered through Freya like lightning. She felt more than skin and muscle tear. The sword tore through her leg like it was butter. She felt bone crumple under the sword and split. A snap filled the air, but it didn't come from a crossbow.  
Freya screamed, regardless of how insensible the scream was.  
"FRATLEY!" she screamed, and fell.  
  
He heard it.  
FRATLEY!  
Fratley spun around to look in the direction of the Castle. He had been heading toward one final store to buy a few more items. In fact, all he had been doing for the past few days was buying items, and sleeping at the inn due to not wanting to walk a far distance. He had bought many items, from potions to scrolls, but still had plenty of money to spare. To him, it didn't seem like his intelligence had been spared. Here he was, in the middle of Alexandria, while Freya was being attacked in the Castle.  
Taking a shaky breath, Fratley thought quickly. He took out a Warp scroll and removed the silk string keeping it shut. Quickly unrolling the scroll, Fratley muttered the words in a slur under his breath. Regardless of the unintelligible words, the spell took effect. Surrounded by white energy, Fratley's body lost all sense of shape. He dematerialized into tiny particles, then zoomed straight toward the Castle. Oddly enough, he materialized in the air, and soon plummetted downard.  
Fratley slammed straight into the man in black, knocking them both over. The Black Mage and White Mage backed up, unsure on what to do. Soon, Fratley rose to his feet and used a quick Dragon ability to knock the man in black into the two Mages. They all fell to the ground. Fratley then quickly found Freya. She was back against a wall, gasping softly. Some of her silver hair was stained pink from a slash in her head. Her upper leg was bleeding badly, and the arrow in her neck had not been taken out. There was a slash on her upper back and her lower back had been stabbed. Her arms had slashes. The sight brought Fratley to tears. This could've been avoided.  
"Freya," Fratley said softly as he fell to his knees beside her. "Freya, I'm so sorry..."  
He left you, Freya's thoughts said, but she ignored them. He had left, but here he was, right in the nick of time. His eyes were full of tears, and a few tears were sliding down his cheeks. He was upset about leaving, and upset about her condition. Yet, where had he been? It took Freya a few seconds to get the thought off her mind.  
"Fratley, it's – it's all right," Freya whispered softly.  
Fratley stroked Freya's cheek. His hand was warm against Freya's cold cheek. The man in black made an attempt to hit Fratley was a crossbow, but Fratley lifted his spear and deflected the arrow with it.  
"Freya, I'm so sorry. This could've been avoided," Fratley muttered. He took a shaky breath. "But I won't leave now. I'll protect you with my life."  
A soft smile came over Freya's face, but her eyes weren't focusing properly.  
"Trust in your command," she whispered.  
Freya's eyes slowly closed. Fratley took a deep breath and turned to his antagonists angrily. He spun his spear around and rushed for the Black Mage. The Black Mage swerved out of the way and prepared a Fira spell. Fratley kept going and slashed the girl instead. She let out a soft cry as she backed up. She tried to prepare a healing spell, but Fratley, grimly realizing he would have to finish her off, slashed her stomach with his spear. He then knocked her to the ground.  
The man in black slashed Fratley in the shoulder with his sword. Despite the pain, Fratley whirled around and pointed his spear at the man. He allowed it to charge with energy before he thrust it toward the man's chest. The man deflected the attack quickly. He pushed Fratley back and straight into a Fira spell discharged by the Black Mage. Fratley yelped and backed away toward the door.  
He heard footsteps, but ignored them. The man in black had taken something out and tossed it to the girl.  
Suddenly glass shattered, and a potion bottle was on the ground, the potion flowing uselessly on the ground. Fratley had clearly knocked it to the ground. The man in black looked enraged. He swung his fist around and clubbed Fratley in the head. Fratley backed away, and felt a staff in his back. He automatically whirled around and slashed open the throat of the Black Mage. The Black Mage cast a Thundara Spell regardless of his condition. Fratley dodged most of the attack, but he was hit by part of it.  
That was when they all heard footsteps.  
Fratley swung his spear and stabbed the Black Mage in the chest. To his surprise, the Black Mage screamed. Fratley couldn't figure out why. Thinking something was up, he turned around to look at the man in black. To his complete shock, an arrow slammed straight into his eye.  
Fratley staggered backward, startled. He spun his charged spear around and tried to hit the man in black, but he couldn't aim properly with only one eye functioning. The man in black dodged the attack with ease. He then slashed Fratley in the stomach. Fratley fell to his knees. He made one final attack, but it was a failure from the start. The man in black knocked Fratley's spear away. He then clubbed Fratley in the head with his sword.  
Fratley slumped to the ground. The man in black snorted and walked over to the Black Mage, who was on his last breath.  
"Do you have the Burning Acid?" The man in black asked.  
The Black Mage nodded, gasping. As he fumbled weakly for an item in his pocket, someone began to pound on the door. Soon, the Black Mage had given the man in black a flask.  
"Let the COL live on," the Black Mage gasped.  
The man in black clasped his hand in the Black Mage's, and held it while the Mage died. He then rose and walked over to Freya. How he wished he could attempt to kill her now! If only the Queen didn't know White Magic! What a burden!  
Then again, she wouldn't be a burden for much longer. The man in black grabbed Freya's arm roughly.  
The two vanished just as the door was at last opened.  
  
--- Rewrote this chapter as well (aren't I busy?) Anyway, the true fight has really begun!  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen  
Lindblum Plateau; Three Hours before Dawn  
  
When Freya finally regained consciousness, the first thing she experienced was someone forcing a vile-tasting liquid into her mouth. Her mouth was then clamped shut and any air passages blocked. The hand was strong, and Freya knew she was being forced to swallow the vile liquid. At first she refused, but then the grip on her snout got tighter. She finally swallowed the liquid, only to find the burning feeling it left in her throat made her gag.  
At last, the grip on Freya's snout was released when her gagging ceased, and Freya could breathe again. She slowly rose to a sitting position and looked around the darkness. She finally located the man in black watching her.  
"I hope you enjoy your death," he said with amusement. "You deserve it."  
Freya stared at him with confusion. The man in black chuckled, and the sound made Freya's blood turn to ice.  
"Burning Acid. It delivers one of the most painful deaths you can get. I save it for my difficult victims," the man in black said. "Adios. Enjoy your last few hours. They will be better than hell, your resting place."  
With a harsh chuckle, the man in black disappeared. With him gone, Freya became aware of her situation. She was in the middle of what appeared to be no where in the dark. There was a dull pain in her leg. The arrow in her lower neck was gone, and a bloody wound was in its place. Her entire body ached and throbbed, and her head felt heavy. Regardless, Freya tried to rise. She ended up falling to the ground again.  
Great, Freya thought grimly. As if my situation wasn't bad enough.  
Once again Freya tried to rise. She fell again, but with one more try she was standing. She wobbled on her feet, but soon she was steady. Freya then began to limp in a random direction. She stumbled horribly, but she didn't fall.  
Freya had been mindlessly wandering for about ten minutes when she felt something unpleasant rise in her throat. Before she knew it, she was on her knees vomiting blood.  
Crap, Freya thought.  
Freya had completely forgotten about Burning Acid. Now she remembered what it did, but she couldn't remember the remedy. Once again Freya rose. She looked around, wishing she were seeing a little better. She thought she caught the shape of a huge building in the distance, and she began to stumble toward it.  
Her progress was horribly slow. She could barely walk, and vomiting every ten minutes didn't help the situation. Soon, she couldn't even stand. Her body was shaking, and she was beginning to feel light-headed.  
A few minutes passed before Freya heard footsteps. She ignored them. Soon, she saw chocobo feet before her. Someone dismounted the chocobo and landed beside it. That person then knelt beside Freya.  
"You all right?" he asked.  
Freya looked up and found herself staring into the green eyes of a boy who looked to be no older than seventeen. Freya shook her head weakly.  
"You don't look it, either," the man commented. He placed his hand on Freya's shoulder. "Float onto the chocobo."  
Suddenly Freya's entire body felt as light as a feather. It was a nice feeling, but soon Freya couldn't feel the ground below her either. Freya began to panic until she was head to head with the chocobo. That was when she gasped. She was floating! Slowly Freya floated onto the chocobo. The seventeen-year-old mounted the chocobo.  
"You look sick," the man commented.  
"Blame Burning Acid and a hell of a lot of other crap," Freya said before vomiting blood once more.  
"Relax, you'll be all right," the man said, and Freya suddenly felt relaxed. "Duchess, take us to Lindblum, please!"  
The chocobo let out a kweh before she turned around and headed toward the dark shape of a building in the distance.  
  
"Is he going to be all right?" Zidane asked Garnet.  
Garnet shrugged helplessly as she looked over at Fratley. They couldn't stop the bleeding at his stomach, and his head was also bleeding pretty badly. They couldn't get a doctor to come as soon as possible, and Tot had a patient already so they didn't wish to bother him. Beatrix had headed off to see if she could find someone, but so far no one had come, and Fratley's condition was looking pretty serious.  
"So everyone else was already dead?" Steiner, who was standing in front of the doorway, asked.  
Garnet nodded. "A man, a Black Mage, and a girl were all dead. I don't know who they were. I'm positive they weren't friendly, though."  
Steiner nodded. "I see. So Freya was attacked?"  
  
"Sneak-attacked. That is probably why we didn't make it in time," Zidane said sadly. "She's too quiet. Why didn't she scream a little bit sooner?"  
"Pride, I suppose," Steiner said.  
"Move."  
Steiner turned around at the odd feminine voice. He then moved out of the way. A demi-human entered. She had black hair that reached her shoulders and furry black cat ears. Her eyes were also of a cat, and they were dark blue. Most of her appeared to be human except for fur on the backs of her hands, and a furry black tail. Like a cat, she walked on her toes. Her outfit was simple - a leather shirt with leather pants, a black belt, and no shoes covering her furry large cat-like feet - and she had an egg-like pouch strapped around her body. Swiftly she walked over to Fratley.  
"That eye will need to be removed. It can't do anything but become infected," the demi-human said immediately, surprising everyone. "I can stop the bleeding on his stomach, that'll be no problem. There is nothing terribly wrong with his head, I can't see a fracture, it'll just need to be bandaged."  
"Wow," Zidane said. "How can you tell all that in less than a minute?"  
"Experience," the demi-human said.  
The demi-human flipped a hidden latch on the egg-like pouch and opened it. It was packed full of medical supplies. The demi-human took out a small flask full of purple liquid, a cloth, and a ton of bandages. She then took a knife from under her sleeve.  
"Why is that in there?" Zidane asked.  
"Why are your daggers with you?" the demi-human retorted. "Protection."  
"Under your sleeve?" Beatrix asked, for she had entered right after the demi-human.  
"Hidden protection," the demi-human said.  
The demi-human opened the small flask. She then poured a little bit of the liquid onto the cloth. She put the flask aside, then placed the cloth and Fratley's stomach wound. She applied great pressure. Everyone in the room could only watch.  
"You're a healer?" Zidane asked.  
"What did you think?" the demi-human asked, looking up from her work. Not once did she stop applying pressure. "Yes, I'm a healer."  
"What is your name?" Garnet asked.  
"Kitski," the demi-human answered.  
"Do you know why White Magic did not heal the wounds?" Garnet asked.  
"It is possible that there is an anti-White spell on the wounds. If it was on the sword, the spell could've been transmitted," Kitski answered. "Here we are."  
Kitski removed the cloth from the wound, and everyone stared with shock. The once-gruesome wound that had broken straight through the abdominal wall and had refused to stop bleeding, was now barely more than a cut. The abdominal wall had closed and all bleeding had come to a stop. The wound was now nothing more than a rather deep cut.  
"Oh my gosh," Garnet muttered softly.  
Kitski didn't say anything. She instead threw the bloody cloth aside and bandaged the wound. She then took the knife, some bandages, and a new cloth as she moved toward Fratley's head. She removed the arrow from Fratley's eye, and a sickening mixture of eye fluid and blood began to flow.  
"This eye is completely useless," Kitski said. "It's been punctured with too much accuracy."  
  
Quickly and efficiently, Kitski removed Fratley's punctured eye using the knife. Everyone only watched as Kitski wrapped the eye in a cloth and put it aside. She then wrapped bandages around the bleeding eye socket. The wrapped bandages resembled the eyepatch Beatrix had, and it was clear Beatrix noticed the resemblance. Kitski killed two birds with one stone by having the bandages cover the gash in Fratley's head.  
"I'm not sure when he'll wake," Kitski said. "It may take a while with the injuries."  
"How long?" Garnet asked.  
"It could take from a few days to a month," Kitski said.  
"He could die," Beatrix commented.  
Kitski smiled grimly as she took something out of her pouch. "Not with this stuff. I can keep him alive. Trust me."  
"What is that stuff?" Beatrix asked.  
"I haven't given it a name yet," Kitski said. "But it keeps people alive when they cannot wake up from a sleep. It is mostly water with a little healing potion and other things. You put it directly in the blood stream, so I may have to make a new wound."  
"Make a new wound?" Zidane asked.  
"Do you really think he can drink it?" Kitski snapped. "He's unconscious, and I certainly can't put it in his head! The arm is the best, but I'll do it later. He doesn't need it right now."  
"Interesting." Garnet said.  
"Could you wake him up?" Cobalt, who had been sitting quietly near the window the whole time, asked. He was one of Vivi's sons and had blue eyes.  
"No," Kitski said. "I've been trying to get a reviving potion, but it had not succeeded yet."  
"Phoenix Downs won't work?" Cobalt asked.  
"Unfortunately, no. Watch," Kitski said.  
Kitski took a soft fiery red feather out of her pouch. She placed it on Fratley's chest. Bright light surrounded the Burmecian as the red feather burst into flames, but nothing happened. Everyone was shocked except Kitski, who didn't look surprised.  
"Well, that is that," Kitski said as she began to gather up her supplies.  
"Could you stay here?" Garnet asked.  
Kitski looked up at the young queen. "Certainly. I have no where else to go."  
"Thank you," Garnet said.  
"Pleasure. I'll be back tomorrow," Kitski said.  
With a quick bow, the demi-human left.  
  
Within 30 minutes, Freya and her rescuer had reached Lindblum. The massive castle loomed over them and it looked spooky in the night. The chocobo they rode upon, whose name was Duchess, trotted over to the main gate of Lindblum.  
"Daniel! Can you please let us in? I've got a Burmecian who has been poisoned," the man called.  
A Lindblum Guard appeared. He wore the traditional Lindblum outfit for a guard.  
"Yeah, sure. Juliben is in the Castle," the guard said.  
"Thank you," the man said. "Go, Duchess."  
Duchess immediately headed inside and toward the nearest aircab station. Soon, she reached the desolate aircab station.  
"Where to?" the aircab pilot asked as Duchess stepped carefully into the aircab.  
"The Castle," The man said.  
The aircab pilot nodded and shouted out the window, "CASTLE!"  
Suddenly the aircab jolted. Steam escaped from the bottom of the aircab as its propellers began to spin. It slowly lifted off the ground and zoomed in the direction of the castle. Freya didn't notice, though Duchess chirped nervously.  
"It's all right, Duchess," the man said.  
"What is your name?" Freya asked, realizing she didn't know.  
"Dominic," the man replied. "Yours?"  
"Freya," Freya said, then suddenly felt an urge to vomit.  
Thankfully, the aircab pilot didn't seem mad about Freya's vomiting. He only glanced briefly at her.  
"Need Juliben?" he asked.  
"Yes. Burning Acid is to blame," Dominic said.  
"Yikes," the pilot commented. "Not good."  
Suddenly the aircab shook as it landed at the Castle's aircab station. The propellers slowly stopped moving. The door opened, and immediately Duchess left the aircab and headed down the stairs effortlessly. She had clearly gone this way before. No guards stopped her as she entered the castle, passing the airship station as she headed off. As they passed the kitchen, though, Dominic shouted to someone inside.  
"No midnight snacks, Eiko. Get out of there," he shouted.  
Freya, recognizing the name of her friend, looked up and into the kitchen. Soon, Eiko was chasing after Duchess. Eiko was a young and cute girl with shoulder-length purple hair and a horn in the center of her forehead. All she was wearing at that moment was a white gown.  
"Dominic! You shouldn't have a chocobo here anyway! And - Hey Freya!" Eiko smiled at Freya, then frowned. "You don't look so good! What happened?"  
"I'll tell you later," Freya said.  
Duchess and Eiko both ran to the Royal Chamber, where Juliben was talking with Cid. Cid looked up and was surprised to see a chocobo enter the area.  
"Dominic?" he asked.  
"I apologize for interrupting, but I need Juliben immediately," Dominic said.  
"What is it?" Juliben, the healer speaking with Cid, asked. He was a thin, tall man with brown hair and hazel eyes.  
"I have a Burmecian named Freya who has been poisoned with Burning Acid," Dominic said.  
"Burning Acid?" Juliben repeated before Cid could speak. "No time to waste. Please get her to the guestroom."  
Juliben rushed out of the room.  
"Am I really in that much jeopardy?" Freya asked.  
"You couldn't figure that out yourself?" Dominic asked, dismounting Duchess.  
"You look awful," Cid said before anyone could reply. "What happened?"  
"Beaten, then kidnapped, then attacked about three more times, then finally walloped to unconsciousness, then brought out here and poisoned," Freya muttered. "Not -" Freya stopped abruptly as she vomited.  
"Fun?" Eiko guessed, sounding worried. "Father, is she going to be okay? She keeps shaking and puking and she looks pale and sick and -"  
"Be quiet!" Dominic cried.  
Suddenly Eiko fell silent. Her lips were still moving, but no sounds came out. Freya stared with shock.  
"How did you do that?" Freya asked.  
"He's the Commander," Cid said.  
"Commander?" Freya asked.  
"Hey, aren't we supposed to be getting you someplace?" Dominic asked Freya. He walked over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Go to the guestroom."  
Suddenly Freya found herself in the guestroom on the floor. She crawled weakly over to a bed and used it to rise to her wobbly feet. She then sat on the bed and soon found herself vomiting.  
"Calm down, calm down."  
Freya looked up to find Juliben towering over her. He held bandages, a jar of herbs, and other supplies.  
"First things first." Juliben put his supplies aside and popped open the jar. He took out a bunch of herbs. "You know what this is, right?"  
Freya shook her head weakly.  
"It's Retchi. It means "Gagging Flower". The stuff makes you gag but once you manage to swallow it it will counter-act the poison," Juliben explained, giving Freya the herbs.  
Freya took the herbs and placed them in her mouth. They were wretched, but Freya forced herself to chew them and swallow them. At this point she began to gag. Soon she felt Juliben's hand on her snout, keeping her mouth closed. This kept her from gagging, and she at last swallowed the herbs.  
"Well, the hardest part is over," Juliben said. "Now while that takes affect, your other wounds need attending to."  
Within a few moments, all of Freya's wounds had been treated. Her body ached, and she felt stiff from the bandages. The bed was warm, though, and she was not vomiting as often. Laying her head against the pillow, Freya stared at the ceiling. She felt strangely light-headed, and her vision was blurry. Was it the Burning Acid? It had to be. Perhaps the herbs hadn't taken complete affect.  
Freya sighed softly. She hoped Fratley was all right. Perhaps he too was in safe hands, and able to relax in a warm bed. With that hope dominant in her mind, Freya fell into a deep sleep.  
  
---------- How'd she survive? The Burning Acid causes a slow death from vomiting blood. You don't vomit enough blood at once to die quickly. Sick? Yes. Created by me? Yes. I am a sick person? Sort of.  
  
Also, Fratley survived by luck and a little more. Kitski's abilities will be explained later.  
  
As for my quick updates: I type quickly. I'm afraid they won't be so quick from now on though, because I'm officially on a computer limit =( No fair!  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen  
Lindblum Castle; Guestroom; Early Morning  
  
Freya was woken up by a loud crash. She jolted to a sitting position and looked in the direction of the crash. She then couldn't help but laugh.  
"That's probably costs about 10000 Gil, Amarant. How are you going to pay for that?" she asked with amusement.  
Amarant stared at the precious vase he had knocked down.  
"How did that get there?" Amarant asked.  
"You knocked it down, stupid!" Freya told him.  
"Hmph. I wasn't anywhere near there," Amarant grunted.  
"How did you get here?"  
"Warp Scroll."  
"And how did you get that?"  
"Stole it."  
"Go figure."  
"Are you going to keep asking questions or are you going to let me talk?" Amarant asked, taking a seat on the floor inches away from the broken vase.  
"Go ahead," Freya replied, stifling a yawn.  
"All right then. I found out some information about Meander and Julius that will help you," Amarant began.  
"Go on," Freya told him, interested.  
"Well, first off, they are brothers. That explains their similar looks. They are exactly the same age and - get this - apparently born on the same date."  
"So they're twins?"  
"Not exactly. Name some races that normally have more than one child."  
"Burmecians, Demons, and Demi-humans."  
Amarant nodded. "Smart one. Those are the main three. So here's the thing. Do you really think Julius and Meander are twins?"  
Freya thought this question over. She then remembered something Zidane had brought up.  
"They are hybrids?" she guessed.  
Amarant nodded. "Right. But what type?"  
"Certainly not Burmecian. They look too human," Freya commented. "Demi-human? Nah, they don't speak animal. So. Demon!"  
"I knew you'd get it. Yes, they're half-demon," Amarant told her. "They are demon/human hybrids."  
"Sure don't look it," Freya replied. "I expected a tail or red skin."  
"Demons normally don't have red skin, idiot. Get out of the fairy tales and into reality," Amarant snorted. "Anyway, Meander does have a tail. He hides it. Also, the black eyes are a demon trait. Humans can get pretty close to black, but never truly black. Julius has demon hands with claws. Meander had very tough skin. Punch him and you'll hurt yourself, not him. Julius cannot be hurt by physical attacks. Both are excellent sword fighters and both know fire spells. When pissed Meander's eyes become red and it's God-Damn hilarious."  
"I think I figured it out," Freya announced.  
"Really?" Amarant grunted. "I already did. What do you think?"  
"Well, the person who kidnapped me didn't appear to have a tail. His eyes don't become red when he's angry. He had demon claws and physical attacks don't work. I punched him once and my hand didn't hurt in the least. So I think the person is -"  
A crash came from outside. Amarant sighed with exasperation as he looked in the direction of the door.  
"Now what? Another vase?" he asked.  
"No, I doubt that," Freya commented, rising from the bed and onto stiff legs. "There are no vases out there. There is nothing that can break."  
Another crash came, and a distinct thud.  
"A fight," Amarant said simply as he rose to his feet. "Do you have a weapon?"  
"No," Freya replied.  
Amarant took a few Wing Edges from his pocket and gave them to Freya.  
"Amarant, I don't know how to use these," Freya told him.  
"Watch and learn," Amarant replied.  
"What do you think it is?" Freya asked, looking in the direction of the door.  
"COL, no doubt," Amarant replied simply. "Either that or some pretty stupid assholes."  
Suddenly the door was in flames.  
"COL," Amarant said grimly.  
"Aye," Freya agreed.  
As the flames died down, a mass group of people entered the room. Most of them were normal looking black mages. Three people had crossbows. The two last people had scimitars.  
"Think you can fight?" Amarant asked.  
"I am not letting you take on twelve people at once," Freya retorted.  
"Damn," Amarant snorted.  
The black mages began to prepare spells. Amarant took out a Rising Sun. He threw it, and Freya watched the way he threw it. She then tried it. She brought her hand back then swung it outward as she released the Wing Edge. The disk swung outward and slashed the neck of a Black Mage. It then slammed into the neck of another. Amarant, seeing that Freya had grasped the technique quickly, brought out his claws. He ran forward and slashed open the throat of a Black Mage. At that point, four Fira spells discharged. Amarant ran out of the way while Freya leapt in the air to avoid the flames. Crossbows discharged, and Freya was dragged to the ground by three arrows. The two people with blades raced forward, but Amarant soon had one of them grounded with a swift tackle. The falling person knocked his companion straight over. Freya rose to her feet. She carefully held three Wing Edges and threw them all at once. Each slashed a cut in the throats of three of the Black Mages. Amarant rolled away from the scimitar-baring warriors. He rose to his feet.  
"Power of the heavens, send the cherry blossoms of hope!" Freya called from behind Amarant, causing him to rush out of the way.  
Cherry petals flew into the air surrounding the group assaulting Amarant and Freya. They soon exploded, leaving deadly fire in the explosion's wake. When the fire at last cleared, all the warriors had fallen. The fire had been too deadly.  
"You can use those attacks without your lance?" Amarant asked, surprised.  
"Yes," Freya replied simply.  
"Then give me my weapons back," Amarant snorted.  
"Not a chance," Freya replied.  
"Damn it," Amarant muttered.  
Suddenly a small burst of fire came into the room and exploded in a bunch of smoke. It sent Amarant and Freya in a coughing spasm. Neither of them heard two consecutive snaps, but Freya felt two arrows slam into her neck and chest. The pain both tiny arrows shot through her body caused her to stagger. The smoke was beginning to clear, but Freya was feeling hazy. She staggered and fell.  
Amarant ran through the smoke and slashed at the person in the hall. His claws didn't pierce the skin. Amarant was about to try a different attack when he suddenly found himself behind the human and on the floor.  
Had he been flipped? Had the human actually flipped him straight over his back?  
Amarant heard footsteps enter the room, and Freya heard them too. She kicked outward, causing the human to back up. The human then suddenly raced forward.  
Then, in a crazy catastrophe of confusion, another human appeared in the room. The other human crashed into this one and disappeared. Freya didn't notice the difference, however. She leapt to her feet and flipped the human straight over her and into a wall. At the exact same time, a gorgeous yet massive bird with fiery wings flew into the room. It had a long and colorful tail, while it had very colorful head feathers as well. Freya recognized it as the eidolon Phoenix. Phoenix spread its wings, screeched, and sent its fiery spell everywhere. The fire was refreshing to Freya but it scorched the human.  
It had been too much damage. The human slumped to the ground, but Freya also fell as shock and exhaustion took its toll. Phoenix screamed and left while Amarant and Eiko ran into the room.  
"Shit," Amarant muttered, and it was all he said.  
  
"Damn, you are one lucky woman," Amarant told Freya.  
"To tell you the honest truth, Amarant, I agree," Freya admitted as she examined the tiny arrow that had once been in her own neck.  
"Hey, at least we caught that guy, right?" Eiko chirped.  
"I suppose," Freya replied.  
"'Suppose'? And why do you just 'suppose'?" Amarant asked.  
"Amarant, you know. Did that exactly look like the human who wants me dead?" Freya asked, looking up briefly from the arrow.  
Amarant was silent, but Freya knew the answer. Eiko looked over at Freya.  
"You mean that may not be the guy? But he was the only one there!" Eiko cried.  
"Something just tells me that we caught the wrong man," Freya said simply, examining the arrow.  
"Shouldn't you tell Cid, then?" Eiko asked.  
"Could I?" Freya asked. "I wouldn't want to disturb the Regent."  
"We're talking about something that could determine life and death, Freya. I'm sure Cid will speak with you," Amarant grunted.  
"Amarant! You actually said my name instead of calling me 'idiot' or something worse!" Freya said with feigned surprise.  
"Would you prefer 'idiot'?" Amarant asked with a small smirk.  
"Eh, no," Freya replied. She rose from the bed slowly. "I suppose we'll go see Cid."  
"Okay! I'll tell you he's coming!" Eiko chirped, racing off.  
"She is way too energetic for me," Amarant grunted.  
"You don't like kids anyway," Freya commented.  
Freya walked a few steps forward, but soon she nearly fell over. Amarant caught her.  
"Idiot," he commented.  
"Thanks," Freya replied sarcastically. "Not my fault Teleportation Plague and a fight produce nightmares."  
Amarant released Freya, and she stayed on her feet. They walked out of the room slowly and began to walk down the stone hall. Though Freya sometimes stumbled, Amarant caught her before she fell either flat on her back or on her face. Soon, they stepped through a room and found themselves in the main hallway leading to the royal chamber. The guards allowed them to pass into Cid's Royal Chamber, and Amarant pushed open the large golden doors.  
"Ah, I was expecting you two, Freya, Amarant," Cid said.  
Freya made an attempt to bow, only to find she nearly fell over. Amarant just managed to catch her. "You are a complete idiot!" Amarant snarled at Freya.  
"Sorry." Freya muttered as Amarant helped her back up. "Regent, I ask to see the man you captured earlier."  
Cid nodded, having expected the request. "Of course."  
Cid left the room, and Freya turned to Amarant.  
"I was being polite!" she explained hotly.  
"So you can fall flat on your face? How will you get back up?" Amarant asked.  
"I'd manage. There are walls around," Freya said. She then smirked. "Or you'd help me up."  
"Huh." The one word was Amarant's only reply.  
Cid returned, and following behind him was a man dressed in many fur layers. Where you could see his skin, however, it appeared to be chipped away to reveal more skin. His eyes were pitch black, and his hair was black too, but it was beginning to gray. He hands were completely normal except for long nails with sharp ends. He had a long, bulky tail covered with spikes and sporting a needle-like spike at the end. He looked exhausted.  
"This is the man we caught," Cid said.  
Freya looked the man over. He stared at her in return. His eyes, however, held no menace. They held no emotion at all.  
"Hmm." Freya thought the situation over carefully, staring at the man. "A tail. the culprit has no tail. He has demon-like hands, and he does not wear that outfit. He was not wearing it when he attacked me. He doesn't have that stare. Speak!"  
"What do you wish me to speak of, Burmecian?" the man asked, and his speaking revealed demon fangs.  
"Your voice. It's too light. And the culprit has no fangs!" Freya had clearly come to a conclusion. "You have been judged wrongly. You are not the person who kidnapped me."  
Freya took a deep breath and walked over to the man.  
"We meet again, Meander. Now I know that Julius is the one," she said simply.  
Meander only smiled.  
  
---------- So there we have it! And with the way Meander looks, you'd think it's him, not Julius, hehe. Anyway, what's with Fratley? Will Freya recover? Will Amarant stop calling her an idiot? Find out.  
  
Sorry about the delay. Writer's block with Let Fear Propel You Forward.  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	17. Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen  
Lindblum Castle; Royal Chamber; Late Morning  
  
"'Meet again'? Freya, what's going on?" Eiko asked.  
"Nothing bad," Meander grunted.  
"It's been years," Amarant grunted.  
"Too long," Meander said, tail twitching. "Do you still hunt demons?"  
"No. I'm a wanted bounty hunter. Woo-hoo," Amarant said.  
Meander laughed. "That must be exciting."  
"You two know each other?" Freya asked.  
"Yeah, from a long time ago," Amarant grunted.  
"All is settled, I take it?" Cid asked.  
"Oh, yes! Thank you, Regent," Freya said. She then made the stupid move of bowing, and she fell flat on her face.  
"God-damn idiot," Amarant muttered.  
"She always this dimwitted?" Meander asked.  
"No," Freya immediately said as she staggered to her feet.  
"She lies," Amarant said.  
"Shut up," Freya said. "We will be going now, Regent. You coming, Eiko?"  
Eiko nodded.  
"Please no," Amarant muttered.  
"Be nice, Amarant," Freya snapped. She then smiled at Eiko. "All right, then shall we leave the Regent in peace?"  
Eiko nodded again, and darted off ahead the rest of the group. Freya took a few steps forward and was quickly staggering on her feet. Both Amarant and Meander rushed to help her.  
"Damn it, why do I feel so light-headed?" Freya asked.  
"The last fall must've knocked out your brain," Amarant said teasingly.  
"Well, that's likely, but I think it's Teleportation Plague," Meander commented.  
"I swear it was gone," Freya commented.  
"What? Your brain?" Amarant asked.  
"No! The Plague!" Freya snarled.  
"It goes in and out," Meander replied. He then grinned. "And so does your brain, apparently."  
"Shut up!" Freya snapped.  
"Well, in the case with the Plague, I guess she can't walk," Amarant commented.  
"Don't you dare pick me up!" Freya snapped.  
Too late.  
  
"If you ever pick me up again, I swear, I'm going to cream you!" Freya shouted at Amarant.  
Amarant only rolled his eyes, smirking. Freya certainly couldn't cream him at that moment. She was on a bed, unable to walk well due to the odd Teleportation Plague, and Amarant had cleverly situated himself near the doorway. Meander, who was sitting by the window, laughed at the situation. Eiko also seemed to find it pretty funny, but she didn't say anything.  
"What are you going to do about it? Glare at me to death?" Amarant asked.  
"When I can cream you, I will!" Freya snapped.  
"You got here, right? If I hadn't carried you, then it would've taken a hell of a while to get you here. You're just pissed that I carried you and made you look weak," Amarant told Freya.  
Freya didn't answer. She only snorted and picked up the arrow she left on the end table next to the bed. She began to examine it.  
"I love how women refuse to say anything when they're defeated," Meander commented.  
"Oh shut up," Freya snapped.  
"What are you expecting to find on that arrow?" Amarant asked.  
"Something, anything," Freya replied.  
"It's a normal arrow. Nothing special about it," Meander grunted. "It's just smaller, sharper, and made for a specific type of crossbow."  
Freya threw the arrow to the floor. "There goes my entertainment."  
"What do you want us to do, dance the polka?" Amarant asked.  
"What the hell are you talking about?" Freya asked.  
"Never mind," Amarant muttered.  
Silence followed. Freya yawned lazily.  
"I guess my only entertainment is sleep now," she commented.  
"You need it before you lose your head," Amarant commented.  
Freya glared at him, eyes narrowed, but she really wished she had something to throw at him. Amarant only returned the stare. Finally, Freya gave in and lied down staring at the ceiling.  
"EIKO!" Cid called.  
"Coming!" Eiko chirped, darting out of the room.  
"No peace," Freya muttered.  
"Would leaving bring you back to one piece?" Amarant asked.  
"Wrong 'piece', you ass," Freya muttered.  
Amarant smirked as he left the room.  
"I can tell you are good friends," Meander commented.  
"How?" Freya asked.  
"You tolerate each other. A lot," Meander answered. "And you're always making fun of each other. You are definitely friends."  
Meander left, closing the door behind him. Freya sighed. She felt alone, but she knew that she was all right. After all, if she could trust her friends, they would protect her. Saying this over and over in her mind, Freya fell asleep.  
  
She could smell blood. It seemed to be everywhere. She could taste her own blood in her mouth. Why was she bleeding? Where was she? She felt cold, and around her was darkness. She realized her eyes were closed, but when she tried to open them, they didn't respond. She tried to move, but she didn't go anywhere. All she could do was smell and hear.  
She heard the clashing of weapons, startled cries, and pained screams. Then she heard footsteps. Someone screamed, blocking out any sounds. Suddenly a horrific smell came to her nostrils. It was a mix between blood and something very unpleasant. She then smelled burning fur and flesh.  
Fur? Suddenly she panicked. Fratley! It had to be. He was in trouble. He was in grave danger. Someone was hurting him!  
  
She tried to move, but no response came. She tried to scream, but no sound came out. She tried to help, but her body refused. The smell of blood filled her nostrils like never before. She then heard a sickening thud as a weapon hit flesh, and someone fell.  
Then visions filled her once black mind. Visions of Fratley's eyes being shot, then a Fira spell nailing him, and his stomach being cut open shot through her mind. Then, someone clubbed him in the head.  
He fell. He slammed to the ground and didn't rise. The smell of death filled her nostrils.  
Suddenly her mouth would open. From her mouth flowed a scream.  
  
"Wake up."  
That was one thing Freya would not do. She had stopped screaming, thankfully, but she was tossing, turning, and muttering complete nonsense under her breath. Amarant tried to figure out what she was saying, but it made no sense to him. Eye being punctured? Stomach bleeding? Death?  
"What the hell?" Amarant muttered. "Come on, get up, Freya."  
She didn't wake up. She kept on sleeping, muttering nonsense. Amarant sighed and finally gave in. She would wake up eventually. He walked out of the room and down toward the dining room to see of Meander knew what was happening. For Amarant knew one thing for certain: he himself didn't know what was going on.  
Amarant walked down a small set of stone stairs that led to a dark, stone hallway lit by torches. He soon went through the first doorway on the right. Meander was sitting at the wooden table in the center of the small dining room. A row of stone counters made up the wall opposite from the door. A massive fireplace was situated in the wall opposite the one to the left of the door. A kettle was placed over the fireplace. Cabinets, a massive stove, and a few more stone counters were against the wall the doorway was on. The final wall was blank except for a massive torch.  
"Did you hear her?" Amarant asked.  
"Hear what?" Meander grunted.  
"I guess you didn't," Amarant grunted. "Freya was screaming bloody murder."  
"What for?" Meander asked.  
"I don't know. It made no sense to me. Something about a punctured eye, ripped stomach, and death. It made too little sense to piece it together."  
"Someone dying?"  
"Last time I checked, Freya didn't dream of people's murders."  
"Sometimes people don't know their abilities until later."  
"Are you saying that Freya is dreaming of someone being killed?"  
"Punctured eye, ripped stomach. What else did she speak of?"  
Amarant had to think this over. He finally replied. "A gash in the head. Blood, and lots of it. Screaming."  
Meander nodded. "And what happened before Freya was here?"  
Amarant suddenly felt like he had been hit on the head. "I think she was attacked. But how can she dream of her own death when it never came?"  
"Maybe she's not dreaming of her own death. Maybe she's dreaming of her protector's death."  
"You mean Fratley?"  
"Who?"  
"Freya's boyfriend. Certainly he would've protected her."  
"It just could be that."  
"Agh, this is brilliant! If Fratley's dead then Freya is going to feel like the world came down on her."  
Meander shrugged. "Nothing we can do."  
"Except -" Amarant trailed off.  
"What?" Meander asked. "Speak up."  
  
"Freya was no doubt attacked in Alexandria. If we can notify Alexandria and ask of Fratley, we may find something out. He could, after all, not be dead."  
"After a punctured eye, ripped stomach, and head gash? It's doubtful."  
"Believe me, Burmecians are some pretty lucky folk." Amarant nodded slightly. "All right, I've decided. I'm going to bug Alexandria and ask them."  
Amarant left the room. He wished he had a flute to call a moogle, but unfortunately Zidane had it. So Amarant would have to tolerate children for long enough to get a moogle to deliver a message. Amarant headed into the main hallway and headed down towards the Royal Chambers. He found himself greeted by the cheery and expensive designs of the Royal Hallway. He allowed himself to be distracted by the gorgeous painting of Lindblum during sunrise on the side of the balcony leading to Cid's Chamber. Not a single detail had been missed. Hopefully Amarant wasn't missing any details important to his problem.  
"Can I help you, sir?" a Guard asked when Amarant didn't move anywhere.  
"I need to speak to the Princess," Amarant said, nearly shuddering at the title he gave Eiko.  
The Guard nodded and disappeared into the Royal Chamber. Amarant leaned against the wall, fingers tapping the stone impatiently. He looked down to the floor and allowed himself to admire the polished, flawless stone that made up the floor, and the red, majestic carpets that led to the different rooms. How expensive everything was! Cid could afford a lot, even when he needed to rebuild a city.  
"Well? What do you want?" Eiko hissed as Amarant continued to not notice her.  
"Shut up, brat. I need to ask a favor," Amarant growled, Eiko already getting on his nerves.  
"I'm the Regent's daughter. How dare you call me a brat!" Eiko snapped.  
"Just shut up, okay? I need to borrow a moogle," Amarant growled.  
"No! You'll eat it!" Eiko screamed.  
"Why would I want to eat one of those repulsive things? Just get me one. I need to send a message."  
"I'll never give you one!"  
"Okay then, fine. I guess I'll never be able to send a message to Zidane -"  
"Oh, you're writing to Zidane?"  
"Yes, and I was going to let you send a letter and I'd pay for it. But I guess since you won't let me get a moogle -"  
"I'll go get one!" Eiko said eagerly as she raced away.  
Amarant allowed himself to smirk as Eiko ran off. His little trick had worked. Sure, now he'd be sending two letters, but at least the important one would get through.  
"Here! I'll go write my letter!" Eiko chirped as she placed a moogle at Amarant's feet.  
The moogle looked an awful lot like an overweight white cat except for a few things. First off, it had purple, bat-like wings that had to be flapped at full speed to get the moogle to fly. It also had a pom-pom on the top of its head. It looked up at Amarant with purple eyes.  
"Y-Yes kupo?" the moogle asked.  
"I need you to deliver a message," Amarant told it.  
"Where's the paper, kupo?" the moogle asked.  
"It's not written. I don't have the time," Amarant replied.  
"I'll write it, then," The moogle said. It flew away, and quickly returned with paper, ink, and a quill. "What do you want it to say, kupo?"  
Amarant thought this question over. "'To Zidane: I wish to know of Fratley's condition. Freya's having these crazy nightmares and screaming bloody murder. Meander and I think something's up with a murder and I want to see if Fratley is the victim. Any information would be appreciated. - Amarant."  
The moogle wrote down the letter as quickly as Amarant said it, and though the writing looked like chicken-scratch to Amarant, the moogle was clearly pleased. It rolled up the letter.  
"Anything else?" it asked.  
"WAIT!" Eiko screamed as she tossed the moogle a letter.  
The moogle took Eiko's letter and turned to Amarant. "We usually get paid for this, kupo."  
Amarant absentmindedly gave the moogle 100 Gil. The moogle seemed truly pleased by the amount and flew away.  
That is done, Amarant thought to himself. Now all I need is for Freya to wake up, and for the moogle to return with an answer.  
  
--------- Em, okay. No comment, have nothing to say ;) Anyway, is Fratley alive? What was Freya's dream about? And will Amarant and Eiko tolerate each other any longer? Find out!  
  
I'd like to direct your attention to my short stories (except "You Knew", because it stinks) "Bidding Goodnight" is one you should particularly look at if you want a little tidbit on something that relates to this story. Also, keep on the lookout for another short story starring a blind Burmecians! OoOoOoOoh!  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	18. Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen  
Lindblum Castle: Guestroom; Late Night  
  
Freya woke up with a startled gasp. The fur on her face was wet with sweat. She looked around frantically, as if afraid that someone may be watching her. She stared at the blankets.  
Fratley, are you gone? Freya asked within her thoughts. Are you dead? Is the dream true?  
Freya felt tears come to her eyes. Fratley couldn't be dead. It couldn't be possible. He couldn't be dead. Yet he could be. So far each dream had been true. She bit her lip, trying not to sob. Even if no one was around, she didn't want to cry.  
She couldn't hold it. She let out a choked sob and the tears flowed. She gripped the soft quilt, staring at the patterns on the quilt. It was a pretty quilt, with eidolon patterns. It didn't soothe her.  
Suddenly Freya felt a firm yet gentle hand on her shoulder. She jumped and moved to throw the person off. She found herself staring into the dark eyes of Amarant.  
"What's wrong?" he asked quietly. "You've been muttering, screaming, shaking, and now sobbing."  
Freya only shook her head, sobbing. She didn't want to say what was wrong. She could barely bring herself to explain it.  
"Come on. What is wrong? You were talking about death and horrid things. What the hell is the matter?" Amarant asked.  
"Fratley. is dead," Freya managed to choke out.  
"And how do you know that?" Amarant asked.  
"I dreamt it," Freya gasped. "My dreams tell reality."  
"Well, isn't that the greatest dreaming ability," Amarant said with exaggeration. "Listen."  
Freya looked up at Amarant with teary green eyes.  
"I sent a letter to Alexandria," Amarant said slowly so Freya could comprehend it. "I'm seeing if Fratley is alive or not. I know they should reply."  
Freya stared at Amarant. "Seriously?"  
"Why would I bother lying to you?" Amarant asked.  
"Because you're you," Freya whispered while sobbing.  
"But I'm not so bad as to be that kind of person, am I?" Amarant asked quietly. "No, I didn't think so. I think you need something to drink. Calm down, all right?"  
Amarant rose and left the room quietly. Freya watched him leave. Had he really sent a letter to Alexandria? How had he known to do so? He had said she was muttering. Had she been talking in her sleep, and speaking true words? Had she spoken of "death and horrid things"?  
Freya wiped her eyes with the quilt, only to find more tears falling. She let out a choked sob, then bit her lip in an attempt to keep the sobs in. No one else was in the room, but she didn't want to be sobbing like a baby when Amarant returned, or if anyone else came into the room.  
Eiko soon bounded into the room.  
"Freya!" she cried.  
Freya looked up, but said nothing. She was spending too much energy trying to keep her sobs inside.  
"Are you okay?" Eiko asked. She continued without waiting for an answer. "Freya, it's awful! I suddenly can't make contact with any eidolons!"  
Freya's teary eyes widened.  
"I don't know why," Eiko said. "It's weird. It's just too weird. I don't get it."  
"Not a single one?" Freya managed to whisper. She then held back a sob.  
"Not one. I don't get it," Eiko said with worry. "I think I'll try again."  
Eiko walked over to a bed next to Freya's and sat down. She closed her eyes, and her horn began to sparkle. Then, the sparkling faded.  
"I don't understand," Eiko said as she opened her eyes. "Why can't I communicate with them?"  
"Has this ever happened before?" Freya asked quietly.  
"I can't remember it ever happening," Eiko replied.  
Freya nodded. Things were getting too weird. Once again she wiped at her eyes with the quilt, but it was as if she were only making room for more tears instead of stopping them. She took a shaky breath, trying to tell herself that Fratley wasn't dead. But her mind wouldn't believe it.  
Amarant quietly entered the room.  
"Where'd you come from?" he asked Eiko.  
"My bedroom," Eiko replied. "I was trying to communicate with eidolons, like I always do at night, but I couldn't."  
"And why not?" Amarant asked as he placed the mug that he had been carrying on the end table. Freya sniffed the liquid inside it for poison.  
"I got no answer. The eidolons seemed to have - have cut off communication."  
"Maybe they wanted privacy. And I didn't poison that, quit sniffing it like I did," Amarant said, the last sentence being said to Freya.  
"Eidolons are always there for their summoner. They need no privacy," Eiko retorted.  
Freya said nothing. She had not liked something about the herbal tea in the mug. There was no poison, but rather something else Freya couldn't figure out. She carefully picked up the hot mug and took a sip of the hot tea. It had a soothing taste, though Freya could still feel the salty tears soaking her sweaty fur.  
"So you can't communicate with eidolons, and you have a dream that someone's being killed," Amarant muttered. "Could the two be linked?"  
Freya only stared at the herbal tea swirling around in the mug. Eiko seemed to be thinking the events over. Amarant sighed and sat at the edge of Freya's bed.  
"Do you have any idea?" he asked.  
Freya blinked slowly. A few tears fell softly. She looked up at Amarant.  
"I read in an encyclopedia," she muttered slowly in a soft voice. "that the Collaboration of Leviathan may use serpents to attack."  
"What does a collaboration have anything to do with this?" Eiko asked.  
Amarant didn't say anything. He only stared at Freya. Freya felt as if his eyes were searching into her soul.  
"You serious?" he asked.  
Freya nodded.  
"That would explain why Leviathan is on their symbol, then," Amarant muttered. "Calm down, all right? I doubt anything's going to get you right now."  
Freya's opinion was drinking half the herbal tea in one sitting. Eiko seemed confused and a bit panicked.  
"Are you saying Leviathan may be after us?" she asked.  
Amarant nodded.  
"But Leviathan's an eidolon, and a fairly noble one at that!" Eiko protested. "No way he would -"  
Suddenly Eiko's horn began to glow bright white. She closed her eyes, and clearly was communicating with an eidolon.  
"Be wary," Eiko said, but it was not her voice saying it. It was an edilon's voice, a strong, masculine voice with a hint of dragon in it. "You are in grave danger. He is coming. He is on the loose again. We do not know why he listens to him. But he does. We will try to stop him. If we contact you again, we have succeeded. If we don't. Be wary. He will be coming."  
Eiko's horn stopped glowing, and she opened her eyes. They were full of worry. Clearly Freya was worried to because she drank the last of the hot tea in one sitting, regardless of the feeling the hot liquid left in her throat.  
"Who was that?" Amarant asked.  
"It was Bahamut," Eiko said. "Something bad is happening. I don't know what, but I don't like this."  
"'He is coming,'" Amarant said, thinking the words over. "'He'? 'He' must be an eidolon, but who?"  
Freya was beginning to feel light-headed and sleepy. She put the mug aside and glared at Amarant with red, puffy, and annoyed eyes.  
"Sleeping Weed?" she guessed.  
Amarant only smirked. "You figured it out. Well, you need to sleep in some way. Just lay down and go to bed."  
Freya yawned. "I knew there was something wrong with that liquid."  
"Just go to sleep. Quit yapping," Amarant said, rising. He looked at Eiko and motioned to the door.  
Eiko nodded and bounded out of the room. Amarant turned to Freya.  
"Sweet drugged dreams," he said teasingly.  
Freya glared at him, but she was already lying down. She felt awfully sleepy, and her head felt light. Her eyelids were heavy, and by the time Amarant had left the room and closed the door, she had fallen into a drugged sleep.  
  
Five hours later, a majestic rainbow-colored bird was tapping on the window leading to the guestroom. Amarant opened it so the bird could get in. It looked at Freya, who was still sleeping, then back at Amarant. It fluttered over to the end table and looked over at Amarant as if to say, "Well, are you going to take the letter?"  
Amarant walked over to the end table and untied the letter bound around the bird's large talons. He then gave the bird 20 Gil. The bird fluffed its wings, then took off. It disappeared through the window.  
"What is it?" Eiko asked. She had been watching Freya for any signs of non-sleep movement.  
"I don't know," Amarant said. He unrolled the letter. "The King of Burmecia is supposed to be eleven, right?"  
"Yeah, why?" Eiko asked.  
"Because this isn't an eleven-year-old's way of writing or talking," Amarant said. At the same time he spoke he was reading the letter.  
"What does it say?" Eiko asked.  
Amarant shook his head. "Shit."  
"What?" Eiko asked.  
Amarant tossed the letter aside. "This is all just a bunch of shit! She's being stalked, injured, and now we have an asshole in charge? Shit!"  
Eiko walked over to the letter and picked it up. She read it, and her face became slightly red.  
"What is this? How come he's blaming Freya for all of it?" Eiko asked.  
"I don't know. I don't even know who that guy is," Amarant snorted. "I'll ask Freya when she wakes up."  
"If she wakes up. How much Sleeping Weed did you use?"  
"Enough to keep her sleeping all night."  
"When will she wake up?"  
"In another five hours."  
  
Amarant was correct. In another five hours, Freya's eyelids flickered, and she slowly woke up. She wasn't exactly refreshed, but the drug gave her a better sleep than the nightmares would.  
"Hello."  
Freya looked up to see Dominic watching her.  
"Just thought I'd stop by," Dominic said. "You all right?"  
Freya nodded. She rose into a sitting position and looked around.  
"Nothing major. That friend of yours - Amarant, I think his name is? Anyway, he left to get a few things. Wouldn't say what, but he left," Dominic explained.  
Freya nodded. She then noticed the letter on the table.  
"What's this?" Freya asked.  
"I don't know," Dominic replied.  
Freya carefully took the letter and looked at it. It was written in a neat script that she recognized as Ebon's writing. Disgusted, she began to read.  
  
To Whom It May Concern,  
  
The King of Burmecia would like to inform Freya Crescent of Burmecia that she is not allowed to return home starting on December 21 this year. She is banned from home due to lack of performing duties and the potential threat her return would bring. For the city's sake and safety, she may not return.  
The King would also like to bring to her attention that her status as a Dragon Warrior of Burmecia is being removed. Lack of duties, skill, and intelligence are to blame. In a time of crisis she showed no strength. She was injured and taken away. She has not yet returned to her duties, and is not worthy of the Dragon Warrior title; therefore, the title is being removed.  
  
Highest Regard  
  
King Ebon of Burmecia  
  
It took Freya a while to realize that her hands were shaking. Dominic was watching her with concern. Freya shook her head with disbelief. She then reread the letter slowly. She was still for a few minutes.  
Freya suddenly crumpled the letter and threw it straight into the fireplace. Her eyes were on fire, her body tense, and her breaths coming out in angry gasps. She punched the bed angrily.  
"God Damn it!" Freya screamed angrily.  
Dominic only watched her. He had looked at the letter while she was sleeping, so he didn't need to ask. He would only wait to see if his abilities were needed. He didn't mind if she vented out her anger. But if she started crying, Dominic would do something. Out of all the things he hated, seeing someone cry was at the top. Freya wasn't going to be crying any time soon. She was only angry. How dare Ebon banish her! Since when was he king? What happened to Puck? Had he attacked him? Set someone up to attack him? What had happened?  
  
Suddenly Freya remembered her dream. The dream where she was stuck in someone's body and they were being attacked came to her mind and made her stare blankly ahead. That dream. Had Puck been attacked in that dream? Julius had been attacking them all? Did Ebon send them to attack them? Ebon was not present. He should've been present. He is supposed to protect the king.  
  
Freya didn't like the situation. It was suspicious.  
  
"Are you all right?" Dominic asked.  
  
Freya nodded dumbly, only half-paying attention. She never liked Ebon. Now she didn't even trust him.  
  
"I'm sorry about the letter," Dominic said, startling Freya.  
  
"You know what it said?" Freya asked.  
  
"I read it," Dominic admitted. "A lot of people did. Everyone's regretting your reaction."  
  
"What, do they think I'll blow up the Castle?" Freya asked sarcastically. "No, I think they're afraid you'll act the way you're acting now," Dominic explained. "Calm down a bit."  
  
Freya suddenly felt calmer. She stared at Dominic with shock.  
  
"Do you always do that?" she asked.  
  
"Only when I need to," Dominic said. "Now, who is Ebon?"  
  
"Right now, I don't even know," Freya said softly. "He was the - the 'General', so to speak, of the Dragon Warriors. Now he's apparently king. He has a very bad attitude and hates women."  
  
"Why?" Dominic asked.  
  
"No one knows. Perhaps the fact that they can kick his ass," Freya guessed.  
  
"Oh, so he's that type of person?"  
  
"Yes, big time. He thinks he's better than everyone, and when you prove him wrong, he hates you."  
  
"He sounds like a real jerk."  
  
"He is."  
  
Silence followed as the two thought things over. Dominic took a deep breath.  
  
"Wasn't Puck the king?"  
  
"How did you know?"  
  
"He was the one who contacted Lindblum for a peace treaty. What happened to him?"  
  
"I'm not exactly sure. I had a dream about someone being attacked by the person who wants me dead, and some Dragon Warriors were yelling at that person. I think Julius was attacking Puck."  
  
"Murder attempt?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"That's not good. And I guess it succeeded?"  
  
This question stunned Freya. Had it succeeded? Or was Puck so injured that he couldn't rule? Freya swallowed all that had risen in her throat.  
  
"I - I don't know if it succeeded. I pray it didn't and he's just too injured." "Either way, the murderer did achieve in wiping out one king."  
  
"Yes, he did."  
  
Dominic nodded. He looked around, wondering what else he could ask that could help the situation. Freya sighed and leaned back against the bed, staring at the ceiling. She didn't like the situation.  
  
"You're awake," Amarant grunted as he entered the room.  
  
"And you've returned," Dominic commented. "Where were you?"  
  
"I was getting needed supplies," Amarant said simply. He looked over at Freya. "Are you feeling better now?"  
  
Freya slowly turned her head to look at Amarant. He stared at her with emotionless eyes.  
  
"I'm just terrific," Freya spat sarcastically.  
  
"I'm sure you are," Amarant replied with equal sarcasm.  
  
Freya sighed. "You read the letter, didn't you?"  
  
"Yes, and I have to say, I don't want to live your life right now," Amarant replied.  
  
"Thanks," Freya grumbled.  
  
"We're trying to piece together information," Dominic explained to Amarant.  
  
"Any luck?" he asked.  
  
"Hardly. All we know is that Puck was attacked, making him unable to be king, and Ebon is no doubt linked to it since he became -"  
  
Dominic was cut off by a serpent's hiss. Freya immediately turned in the direction of the window, and her eyes widened.  
  
A red serpent's eye stared at her in return.  
  
------------ Dun dun dun! Heh, anyway, what is up with the eidolons? What happened in Burmecia? And what the heck is happening with Fratley? Find out eventually! =)  
  
I would also like to be an idiot and advertise my own story: "Bidding Goodnight". It links to this story so you may want to take a look =) Oh, and to explain the strange look of this chapter. For some stupid reason FanFiction.net didn't indent all the paragraphs at the end of this chapter. It was extremely hard to read, so I had to make spaces. Evil! =(  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	19. Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen  
Lindblum Castle; Guestroom; Morning  
  
"Oh crap," Freya spat out of sheer frustration.  
At the same time Freya leapt out of the bed and landed on shaky feet. She looked around.  
"I need to get out of here. We can't have Leviathan ramming into the Castle," Freya snapped.  
Dominic only nodded, watching the serpent eye. Freya tried to walk, but she nearly fell over.  
"Freya."  
Freya looked in Amarant's direction to find him holding out a Warp Scroll.  
"How many of those did you steal?" Freya asked, limping over to Amarant.  
"Enough to last," Amarant replied, grabbing Freya by the arm. "Dominic, get someone, preferably Meander or Eiko."  
Dominic only nodded feebly and rushed out of the room. Outside, Leviathan let out a piercing scream. Amarant quickly read the Warp scroll. He and Freya began particles of nothing that soared through the castle walls and toward the Dragon's Gate. Soon, the two materialized outside Lindblum.  
There was a distinct scream from within Lindblum. Freya and Amarant turned to look in the direction of the city. Something moved from within it. Then, part of the Dragon's Gate was cracked and destroyed as a massive serpent slithered through. It was at least 15 feet long. It was blue with gorgeous yet massive purplish-blue wings. Its head was decorated with purplish-blue ear-like flaps of skin. Thinner pieces of skin hung from a smaller pair of purple wings that fit perfectly under the large bluish wings. The end of its tail ended in a fan-like structure. Its eyes were red and fixed on Freya.  
"Leviathan," Freya muttered softly. "Not an eidolon!"  
Leviathan let out a scream and slithered toward Freya, mouth open. Amarant and Freya ran out of the way. Leviathan quickly changed direction and zoomed toward Freya. Freya rolled out of the way. Amarant took out a Wind Edge and threw it at Leviathan. It cut a long wound near Leviathan's mouth. Leviathan hissed, but he ignored Amarant and instead lunged for Freya.  
Freya rolled out of the way of the massive serpent and rose to her feet. She made a wild run away from Leviathan's long tail. She was about to prepare a spell when something snapped. She yelped and fell to the ground.  
Leviathan stared at Freya curiously, wondering what had made her fall. He then hissed and lunged to make a final blow. Before he could, however, Amarant had grabbed Freya and leapt out of the way.  
"My leg gave in," Freya muttered through gritted teeth.  
"I figured that. You shouldn't have insisted on walking!" Amarant scolded.  
Leviathan hissed with exasperation. He lunged for Freya. Amarant carefully tossed Freya aside and punched Leviathan in the jaw. Leviathan hissed angrily and slithered toward Freya, but Amarant once again distracted him, this time with claws digging into his side.  
That was when Leviathan stood alert. Amarant released his grip and ran over to Freya.  
"I don't know what he's doing, but let's take advantage of this," Amarant said. "You need to jump."  
"How?" Freya asked. "I can't stand let alone jump!"  
"Idiot, I'm going to be supporting you!" Amarant snapped, helping Freya to her feet. "But you need to jump so we're both in the air. Then we can nail him."  
Freya understood. Carefully she leapt into the air, taking Amarant with her. Leviathan was out of his phase, and he leapt toward the two. Amarant threw a Wing Edge down toward the serpent's mouth. It fell in and lodged into something. Leviathan let out a choked cough, and soon he was choking.  
"Power of the heavens, lend the power to vanquish," Freya muttered.  
It was one of the simplest attacks a Dragon Warrior first learned. Energy began to gather in a star shape in Freya's hand. Once the energy was sufficient, Freya tossed the star toward Leviathan. It hit him in the head and knocked the serpent to the ground. The Wing Edge was dislodged in the process.  
Freya and Amarant landed on the ground, falling over in the process. Freya rolled off Amarant to allow him to get up. Leviathan had already risen, and he was bleeding from the mouth. Freya realized that she never knew an eidolon could bleed, though it made perfect sense that they did.  
Amarant rose to his feet. Leviathan lunged for Freya, but Amarant intercepted him and once again nailed Leviathan in the jaw. This time, however, Leviathan didn't ignore him.  
Leviathan grabbed Amarant's leg and lifted him in the air. A snap filled the air. Freya watched with horror as the serpent threw Amarant into the grand castle that housed the City of Lindblum. Neither the fall nor the impact was sufficient enough to do any more than crack ribs, but Amarant found he could not rise. His leg was a bloody mass of pain. It refused to move.  
"Shit," Amarant muttered, then winced. It hurt to speak, to breathe, or to do anything.  
Freya had already figured out that she was on her own. She rose to her feet, or at least tried to. It hurt to try and move her right leg. The bone had been healing, but pressure and falls had snapped it once more. Now, even moving it made Freya wince. Still, Freya had to do something, or Leviathan's jaws would close on her.  
Freya rolled out of the way of Leviathan's mouth. She them managed to rise to her feet. She began to limp away. Leviathan screamed and lunged for her. Freya spun on her feet.  
"Power of the heavens, send the dragon's breath!" Freya shouted.  
A dragon's head appeared and sent fiery breath onto Leviathan. The serpent screamed with pain. A Wing Edge then buried itself into his side. Hissing, Leviathan turned his red eyes onto Amarant.  
"Amarant, no!" Freya shouted, and she threw a quick ball of energy at Leviathan's head.  
Leviathan was hit. He shook his head around. He then turned around and snapped for Freya. Freya threw herself out of the way, only to find she couldn't land on both feet. She fell to the ground. Leviathan lunged again.  
Leviathan's jaws closed on Freya's good leg. Pain shot through Freya as he clamped down, and something snapped. Freya yelped. Soon Leviathan lifted her into the air. With great force he tossed her in the direction of Lindblum.  
Freya hit the castle with a loud slam. She slammed into the ground seconds later. Amarant stared at her.  
"FREYA!" Amarant bellowed. It was a test to see if she would reply. Even if she ignored him, her ears would still twitch from the loud noise. But nothing happened.  
Freya lay still.  
"God damn it," Amarant muttered. He watched as Leviathan hissed and slithered toward Freya cautiously. "Keep away from her, you God-Damn monster!"  
Leviathan hissed angrily at Amarant. He then turned back toward Freya.  
A huge roar pierced the air. Leviathan looked toward the skies and hissed nervously. Amarant looked in the same direction, and his eyes widened.  
A massive, fluffy eidolon was making his way down toward the ground. He flapped a pair of powerful reddish-brown wings as he soared toward the ground. He soon touched the ground. Except for his wings, this eidolon was covered in fluffy, white fur. Long strands of fur extended from his head and made it all the way to his feet. He had a long, fluffy tail that was curled around one of his feet. He appeared extremely fat. His head was decorated. He appeared to be nine feet tall.  
"Madeen," Amarant muttered.  
Madeen roared, his black eye focused on Leviathan. Leviathan hissed, but did not attack. He seemed nervous to do so. Madeen stepped forward, growling angrily. Leviathan hissed again, slithering away from Freya. Madeen watched him, and growled every so often for emphasis.  
Finally, Leviathan disappeared. Madeen snorted, crossing his massive arms to view the scene.  
"Thank you, Madeen!"  
Eiko rushed over to Madeen, who turned towards her with a snort. Compared to the bulky, nine-foot eidolon, Eiko looked like a mouse.  
"Thank you!" Eiko repeated.  
Madeen snorted and looked in Freya's direction. She had not moved. Slowly Madeen walked over to Freya, Eiko following. Amarant tensed.  
"If he hurts her, I swear -" Amarant began.  
"He's not going to hurt her. Not after I told him to protect her," Eiko assured Amarant grumpily. She took out her flute and played a quick tune.  
A refreshing Curaga spell healed most of Amarant's wounds, though his leg was shaky and some of his ribs had not mended. Slowly Amarant rose to a sitting position and half-crawled, half-walked over to Freya's motionless body.  
Her left leg was bloody and mangled from Leviathan's jaws. Both legs were at odd angles and clearly broken. Her breaths came out in short gasps. Ribs were probably broken. Freya was alive, but she seemed rather lucky.  
"It looks bad," Amarant muttered.  
Madeen grunted as he looked over at Eiko. He motioned to Freya and grunted again. Eiko nodded and held her flute to her lips. She began to play a melody. Amarant looked up at her, then up at the massive eidolon. The eidolon only snorted and nodded slightly. Amarant looked by over at Freya. Her body was glowing a soft white.  
The Full-Life spell came so quickly it startled Amarant. Soon, however, the bright light and angelic wings faded. Freya's wounds were nothing more than scars, if even that. Her right leg, however, had retained the vicious wound, and it was still clearly broken. Freya let out a soft sigh as her eyelids flickered.  
"Freya!" Eiko cried, shoving by Madeen's large fluffy body to kneel beside her friend. "Are you all right?"  
Freya slowly opened her eyes. They focused immediately. She blinked and slowly rose into a sitting position, rubbing her head.  
"What?" she asked with confusion.  
"I asked if you were all right," Eiko told her.  
"Oh," Freya said, nodding. "Yes, I'm fine."  
"For now," Amarant grunted. "You don't look fine."  
"Neither do you," Freya muttered, looking over at Amarant. "I feel sick."  
"Being knocked into a wall can do that," Madeen grunted, startling everyone.  
"You can speak English," Amarant muttered.  
"When I wish, I can speak whatever language is necessary," Madeen said. His voice was a deep and rumbling sound. "Neither of you are very strong. Your wounds are almost gone, but you need to regain your strength. Go ahead and try to walk. You'll fall on your face."  
"I'm not going to try," Freya muttered. "I feel really ill at this moment."  
"Your problem is moving around too much. Teleportation Plague leaves when you calm down," Madeen snorted.  
"I'm being stalked," Freya spat. "Shall I just let the guy kill me?"  
"Get help," Madeen replied.  
"That's one thing she won't ever do," Amarant grunted. "Apparently if she's a warrior she can't ask for help."  
"It's called pride," Freya snorted. She was beginning to feel dizzy.  
"Whatever. I have pride too, you know," Amarant replied. He rose slowly to his feet.  
Madeen growled, and Eiko giggled. Amarant and Freya both ignored them. Freya's vision was starting to go, and Amarant was too busy trying to prove that he could walk. He did eventually prove it, and at this point Freya's eyes weren't focusing properly.  
"You look terrible, you know that?" Amarant asked Freya. "You're pale, and apparently your leg is broken. You look like a dead person."  
"Feel it, too," Freya replied. "And don't you dare pick me up."  
"Too late," Amarant said. He knelt down and lifted Freya into his arms.  
"Damn it, why do you insist on carrying me?" Freya spat.  
"Because you aren't going anywhere otherwise," Amarant replied. "How do you expect to walk with a broken leg and a disease that won't leave?"  
Freya sighed angrily, but said nothing. Madeen only chuckled. He growled at Eiko, and Eiko nodded. With a final snort, Madeen flew away.  
"You two are so weird," Eiko commented. "Let's go back to the Castle."  
Amarant nodded. He shifted his arms slightly as Eiko darted toward the Dragon's Gate. Freya let out a soft sigh, her eyes closed. Her head hurt.  
"You all right?" Amarant asked as he headed toward the Dragon's Gate.  
"My head hurts badly," Freya muttered softly. "I feel like I'm going to faint."  
"Well, you won't have a rough fall," Amarant commented.  
"I really don't feel like fainting in your arms," Freya said sarcastically.  
Amarant chuckled. "Like you can really control it. If you faint, we'll pretend you were dead anyway."  
"Thanks," Freya spat.  
Within a few moments Freya was unconscious. Amarant only shook his head.  
Exhaustion, illness, and being stalked, Amarant thought. Why don't you take a rest, Freya?  
  
Freya woke from unconsciousness about an hour later. She let out a soft groan, but didn't open her eyes. Her head still felt heavy, and her face was wet with sweat. The room seemed too quiet except for the crackling of a fire.  
"You awake?"  
Freya recognized the gruff voice of Meander. She sighed and made an attempt to open her eyes. She managed to open them, but her vision was too blurry to make anything out.  
"Then go back to sleep," Meander grunted. "You're only going to bring yourself down to hell at this rate. Take a rest, relax, and get better. Amarant and I can handle things. Believe me on that one."  
Freya found the strength to speak.  
"What if Julius attacks with an army of some sort? I don't want to leave you two on your own," Freya muttered softly.  
"Relax, you worry too much. I know Julius' tricks, and Amarant will apparently kick anyone's ass with any reason, good or not. We have a summoner, we have the Commander, we have a bounty hunter, and then we have me, a hybrid. We don't need you right now. We need you to get better. Now why don't you quit whining and go to sleep?"  
  
----------- And there's that curious happening. Why did Leviathan attack Freya? Will Freya actually get better? And what's up with Fratley, who seems to have disappeared from this story? (heh) Find out!  
  
This story is probably the only one I'll be updating for a while, as I still have to form a good idea in my head for "Let Fear Propel You Forward" and I need to finish the next short story in "The Purblind Chronicles". Stay tuned!  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	20. Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty  
Four Days Later; Lindblum Castle; Guestroom; Noon  
  
Freya was woken up by strange noises. She eventually concluded them to be demon grunts. Were demons invading the castle? The guttural voices sounded familiar. She heard a snort.  
"Frehaghighawagh," a familiar voice said in a growl. His language consisted of snorts, growls, and guttural words.  
Someone walked over to the bed and tapped her on the shoulder.  
"Righaghshigng!" a male voice said. It too sounded familiar.  
"Sghdoesghnoghundeghandyo," the other voice said.  
"Oops," Meander said. "Forgot."  
"Ah well," Amarant said.  
"You two speak demon?" Freya asked, opening her eyes.  
"Yeah. Did you understand anything?" Amarant asked.  
"No. It just sounded like grunting," Freya replied.  
"Let me say each word separate. Frehagh igh awagh," Amarant said, the last sentence consisting of grunts, snorts, and guttural sounds.  
"No, nothing," Freya said.  
"Oh, come on! How could you not recognize your own name?" Meander asked.  
"My own name?"  
"Frehagh. It's your demon name," Amarant explained.  
"Oh. Well, sorry, but I don't understand demon. It just sounds like a dog with a cough," Freya replied.  
Amarant chuckled, and said in demon, "This girl is a real idiot."  
Meander laughed and replied in demon, "I know. But she's pretty and you have to love her for that."  
"What you guys saying?" Freya asked suspiciously.  
"You honestly don't want to know," Amarant replied.  
"You were saying something behind my back, weren't you?" Freya asked.  
"She's too smart," Amarant said in demon.  
"She's prettier than she's smart, though," Meander said in demon with a grin.  
Amarant laughed.  
"You guys are making fun of me, aren't you? You assholes," Freya snarled.  
Amarant laughed again. "I guess you're really making her seem pretty if you're saying that, Meander." He still spoke in the demon tongue.  
"Well, yeah. Right now she's being smart. Usually she's dumber than a brick," Meander said thoughtfully in demon.  
"All right," Freya said. "Apparently you are saying the word 'she' an awful lot. Now I know you're talking about me!"  
"We could be talking about Eiko," Amarant said.  
"You hate Eiko. Why would you bother?" Freya asked.  
"Let's cook her for dinner," Meander said in demon.  
"Who?" Amarant asked in demon.  
"Eiko," Meander replied.  
"Ugh. Taste bad," Amarant said.  
"Huh?" Freya asked.  
"You don't want to know, Freya. Big time," Amarant told her.  
"I'm going to trust you," Freya said. "For now."  
"Oh relax. I wish you were still sick," Amarant complained.  
"Thanks," Freya snapped sarcastically.  
"You are welcome. You hungry?" Amarant asked.  
"No," Freya replied.  
"Why don't you try to walk today?" Amarant asked. "It'd be better than being bedridden on Christmas."  
"Holy shit! Christmas is in how many days?" Freya asked.  
"Three," Amarant replied.  
"Oh God," Freya moaned. "I'm going to be stuck in a bed with a person trying to kill me on Christmas."  
"Bummer," Meander said.  
"So why don't you try to walk?" Amarant asked. "If your leg snaps, you'll just have to be in bed for another week."  
"Thanks, Amarant, you'll really reassuring," Freya spat. "Fine, I'll give it a shot. But if I fall and you don't catch me I'm going to kill you with a pillow."  
Amarant chuckled. "I'm really scared of a pillow."  
Freya carefully rose to a sitting position. Her legs felt stiff from not moving for four days. She pushed the blanket aside and carefully swung her legs to the ground. Both legs were like lead, and movement was difficult. She slowly rose to her feet. Pain came to her injured leg, while both legs felt like stilts. She automatically lifted her injured leg from the ground. Her other leg was too stiff to support anything, and she fell backwards and onto the bed.  
"Well, that failed," Freya said miserably.  
"Try again. You were close," Meander encouraged.  
Freya listened to his encouragement, and once again rose. This time, however, before her stiff leg could make her crash, she walked. The movement required walking brought the stiff muscles into action. She limped over to Amarant, who was sitting near the fireplace.  
"See? You won't be bedridden," Amarant grunted.  
Freya carefully lowered herself to the ground. Meander soon sat beside her. The three were silent for a while.  
"Freya, are you going to return to Burmecia?" Meander asked. "It's your home."  
"I can't," Freya muttered softly. "I've been banned."  
"So what?" Amarant growled. "It's your home. You can go back if you want."  
"No I can't! If I return I will automatically receive three years in the dungeon!" Freya replied.  
"Ouch. If that's not harsh, I don't know what is," Meander muttered.  
"Well, then consider this prospect. While you were snoozing like a bear in hibernation Dominic and the two of us were considering things that fit together," Amarant said.  
"Like what?" Freya asked.  
"Well, Julius, first off. He hates Burmecians, and attacks the females and kills them. Then, Ebon. He hates women. The two sound like a perfect duo," Amarant explained.  
"Except for the fact that Ebon is a Burmecian!" Freya protested.  
"Right, right. But Julius wants you dead. Then, suddenly, he attacks Puck. And who ends up king? Ebon the women hater. Therefore Julius and Ebon may just be working together," Meander said.  
"But what for?" Freya asked.  
"Use your brain, nitwit. They're working together to kill you," Amarant grunted.  
Freya was so surprised at this prospect that she said nothing. Amarant continued.  
"So when Ebon became king, he used silly yet somehow believable excuses to keep you from returning. You have protection there, and friends. Now that they are out of the way, Julius have a perfect shot at you," Amarant explained.  
"But why would Julius work with a Burmecian? He hates them," Freya protested.  
"Money," Meander said simply.  
"Money? You mean he was bribed?" Freya asked.  
"Bingo," Meander grunted. "And that is why Julius has not given up. Normally by this time he just gives up and goes after another victim. But since he was offered cash, he is persistent."  
"I - I don't want to believe it," Freya whispered.  
"Well, you have to, because it makes perfect sense," Amarant growled.  
"But that means I have no chance!" Freya cried.  
"Not really. If you return to Burmecia and kill Ebon, there goes the bribe. Julius may just give up," Meander said.  
"I can't return! I'll be arrested and locked up!" Freya protested.  
"Not if you annihilate Ebon!" Amarant snarled. "The other king will probably excuse you!"  
"Doubtful! Once I'm banned, and a crime is committed, that crime stays even with the other king! I'll still be locked up! Even though I want to return, I can't!"  
Freya rose to her feet and limped out of the room.  
  
It couldn't be true. Just couldn't be. Ebon was harsh, but he had trained her. He had taught her all she knew. He couldn't want her dead. Yet he could.  
Freya limped out onto the balcony near Eiko's room. She stared out at the city, her mind full of thoughts of all types. She sighed. Ebon couldn't want her dead.  
But look what he put you through. One wrong move, one wrong word, even one wrong breath would get you a smack. He always made you do the hard stuff. Your work was always harder. Your punishments were also brutal. He never acknowledged you, unless trying to cream you. Why shouldn't he want you dead? Freya though grimly. He always hated you. Always. And you kicked his ass when you were only fifteen. You humiliated him, and you enjoyed it. So why shouldn't he get his revenge by killing you? Then you'd be out of his life and his humiliation could die along with you.  
Freya sighed. She didn't want to believe it, but she had no choice. Ebon did want her dead, and Julius was after her for money.  
And he's not going to stop until Ebon's dead, Freya though downheartedly. But then once you kill him, you're going to be spending the rest of your days in the dungeon. What's better, being stalked or the dungeon? Food that may be interrupted for no food at all? Someone trying to kill me or no one giving any shit? Freedom with fear or chains with boredom? Heat that becomes cold or cold all day long? People caring and trying too hard or people forgetting I exist? No time to think or too much time? Quick death or long death?  
Freya didn't know it, but tears were falling from her eyes.  
What do I prefer? What's better? Gee, I don't know! They're both just so God-damn terrific! I might as well just jump off this stupid balcony, allowing myself a third option! Quick, fast death!  
"What are you so upset about?"  
Great, Freya though bitterly. Out of the all the people who have to appear I get stuck with Mr. No-Emotion.  
"Absolutely, positively nothing, Amarant," Freya spat.  
"Well, excuse me for asking," Amarant said sarcastically.  
"Go away," Freya snapped.  
"Why?" By this point Amarant had walked over and was staring at her.  
"I need to jump off this balcony."  
"All right, go ahead."  
"Gee, thanks! Glad you care!"  
God, she's grumpy. Can't even take my sarcasm, Amarant thought.  
"You were fine a second ago," Amarant grunted.  
"Well, maybe in a second, I found out that two people want me dead and the only solution is making a cold, lonely dungeon my new home, okay?" Freya snarled, turning to Amarant. "Nothing is going God-damn right! Fratley's gone, Julius wants me dead, Ebon wants me dead, I can't even return home safely, a serpent just about ate me, and I don't even have the person I truly love here for Christmas! My life is shit!"  
Freya stormed away. Well, she tried to. Her limp was making her storm more like a crawl. Amarant could've easily chased her, but he didn't. He knew better. He simply leaned against the balcony, watching Freya quietly. There was nothing he could do now. He was not a person to offer sympathy, and since she wasn't having nightmares he couldn't drug her.  
Well, he could, but then she would be very, very pissed.  
  
Freya limped down the hall, staring at the floor. She didn't want to talk to anyone, see anyone, or acknowledge anyone. She wanted to sulk in peace, but when you have many people who care, that's hard.  
Amarant, care? That's a laugh, Freya thought bitterly.  
"So you're so pissed about your situation you're going to yell at the world?"  
Freya was now trying to limp faster. Not Meander too! Soon, however, she couldn't even move. Dominic soon came into view.  
"Thank the Commander!" Meander shouted with triumph. "Amarant, we caught her!"  
"You sure that's a good thing?" Amarant asked as he came down the hall.  
Dominic snapped his fingers, and Freya could move again. But it was useless now. The whole party was here, except for Eiko, who maybe she would be willing to talk to. Freya sighed and sank to the ground.  
"Why can't you all leave me alone?" she asked.  
"What's wrong with you?" Meander asked grumpily.  
"What do you think? I have one guy stalking me, another helping him, and a dead boyfriend to boot! Then I have all of you, who don't give a shit!" Freya snapped.  
"You don't give us time to give a shit," Amarant grunted.  
"Well said," Meander said with agreement. "Amarant said it. Why don't you calm down and listen? Do you really think we don't care? Why are you so upset? You aren't making any sense right now. Did we say something?"  
"No, life just sucks," Freya muttered. "I have two choices to make. I can live my life being stalked and never able to return home, or I can return home, kill the king, and spend my life in the dungeon. I thought of the differences and both suck."  
"Differences?" Meander asked. "Don't tell me you made yourself miserable."  
"Yes, I made myself completely miserable!" Freya spat. "I gave myself time to think, and what'd I think about? What I'd rather like, food that may be interrupted for no food at all. Someone trying to kill me or no one giving any shit. Freedom with fear or chains with boredom. Heat that becomes cold or cold all day long. People caring and trying too hard or people forgetting I exist. No time to think or too much time. Quick death or long death."  
"Whoa, wait. Did you say 'people forgetting you exist'?" Meander asked.  
"Yes, why?" Freya asked. Renting out her anger and anguish seemed to be helping her slightly.  
"Because no one's forgetting anything. Right Amarant?" Meander asked, turning to Amarant.  
"Wrong," Amarant said with a smirk.  
"See? Amarant wouldn't forget," Meander said, reading Amarant's expression. "Someone would get you out of the dungeon."  
"Maybe so, but then what would I do? Have to live my life away from home again?" Freya asked.  
"Hey, it always rains and mats your fur anyway," Amarant grunted.  
"Shut up, Amarant," Freya growled.  
"Anyway, what everyone's trying to say without succeeding is that no matter what happens, someone's going to be around," Dominic butted in, realizing that Amarant and Meander were getting no where quickly. "Even those two dimwits would be."  
Amarant drew his claws. "Don't call me a dimwit."  
"Freeze, dimwit," Dominic said.  
Amarant was encased in a block of ice. Freya's eyes widened with shock while Meander chuckled.  
"He's never going to threaten you again, Dominic," Meander said, chuckling.  
"He's going to die in that thing!" Freya gasped.  
"He'd make a nice decoration," Meander said. "I think I'll chisel a statue."  
"So mean," Freya muttered.  
"Yes, a nice Amarant statue. You can put it in your room, Meander," Dominic said jokingly.  
Meander took out his sword. It was a curious sword with an emerald blade and a ruby handle. He began idly slicing at the ice. Freya rose to her feet and limped over to the block of ice.  
"Aren't you just humiliated?" she asked Amarant.  
Dominic snapped his fingers, and the block of ice disappeared. Meander put away his sword. Amarant looked pretty angry. Freya tried to back away, but going in reverse when you limp isn't a good move. She fell on her back.  
"What are you doing?" Amarant asked, trying his best to keep his teeth from chattering.  
"Being a complete idiot," Freya replied.  
"That's everyday, Freya," Amarant told her.  
"Thanks," Freya spat.  
"Anyway, now that the fun and games are over, Freya, do you understand what I said?" Dominic asked. "You're not alone in either situation."  
Freya rose to a sitting position. Her life was not much better. She still was in a bad situation.  
"Yes, I suppose," Freya muttered. "After all, I'm not exactly alone."  
Yes, things will be fine with these people, Freya thought with amusement. Things will be just friendly, happy, stupid, and insane.  
Freya's thought was proved when Amarant tried to walk away. Meander tripped him. Amarant fell flat on his face. Dominic chuckled while Freya rolled her eyes.  
"Damn you, Meander!" Amarant shouted, but Meander was running away. "Oh, what the hell. If he wants to run, I'll catch him and beat the shit out of him."  
Amarant began to chase Meander. Freya turned to Dominic.  
"Well, I thought things will be okay. Now I'm very afraid," she said, trying her best to joke.  
Dominic laughed.  
  
------- This is what happens when the author gets bored: she gives you what you need to know, and then she adds nonsense to add a bit of length to the story. Yes, I know this chapter sucks. Yes, I know Fratley still hasn't showed up. Please be patient with me! The next chapter is better, I promise you ;)  
  
Be on the look out for an update for Let Fear Propel You Forward.  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	21. Chapter Twentyone

Chapter Twenty-one  
Three Days Later; Lindblum Castle; Guestroom; Morning  
  
Christmas with Meander, Amarant, and Eiko was not going to be pleasant. Eiko and Meander, apparently, liked Christmas a little too much. Freya and Amarant, on the other hand, wanted to be left to their memories.  
Getting that was the trick.  
"Come on, Freya! Take a walk! Everyone decorated!" Eiko chirped.  
Freya didn't say anything. She was trying her very best to ignore Eiko.  
"Why are you grumpy on the holidays?" Meander asked Amarant. "You should be happy because you get lots of food."  
"Go away," Amarant growled.  
Ah yes, Freya and Amarant were having lots of trouble getting peace and quiet.  
"Come on! Why are you so grumpy?" Eiko asked.  
"Gee, I don't know," Freya muttered.  
"You're disturbing the depressed one," Amarant said to Meander. "Go away."  
Meander looked down at Freya. Freya returned his look with her glare.  
"Why are you both so grumpy?" Meander asked. "It makes no sense."  
"You want to know?" Freya growled. "The Great Dragon doesn't celebrate Christmas in this way. It's a very peaceful time to spend with family and close friends. But my family's dead and my closest friends are as well."  
"I'm not your closest friend? Wait a minute!" Eiko screamed.  
"Aren't I a friend?" Amarant asked.  
"What about me?" Meander asked.  
"Oh God," Freya moaned.  
"I know I'm a friend! Do you want me to jump on the bed?" Eiko screamed.  
Freya looked up at Amarant and mouthed "Help!"  
"Come on, everyone, shoo," Amarant growled, trying to wave everyone away.  
Meander was now thinking thoughtfully. "Ah, but what if Julius attacks? It doesn't matter if it's Christmas. Demons don't celebrate that anyway."  
"Oh Great Dragon, help me," Freya muttered.  
"Hey, wait. If demons don't celebrate Christmas, what are you so excited about?" Amarant asked Meander.  
"Um, eh, well -" Meander stuttered.  
"It's because he has holiday spirit! Unlike you two!" Eiko screamed.  
"A demon, with holiday spirit?" Amarant asked.  
"Shut up, you," Meander said, but at the end he added a demon word that made Amarant's eyes widen with shock.  
"You asshole!" Amarant roared angrily.  
"Yikes," Meander muttered. "My bad!"  
Meander ran out of the room, Amarant watching him angrily. Eiko and Freya were both looking very confused.  
"What was that about?" Freya asked.  
"You're a meanie!" Eiko cried at Amarant.  
"He called me a fughrack first," Amarant growled. "Demon curses are a lot more insulting than human curses. There aren't even literal translations."  
"Well, maybe you are a - a whatever that is!" Eiko screamed.  
At this point Amarant threw Eiko out the door and closed it.  
"Well, that certainly wasn't nice," Freya said.  
"I don't care," Amarant grunted.  
"Of course not," Freya said. "Why would the all-caring Amarant care?" She was very sarcastic.  
It took a few seconds for the two to realize that the room was quiet. They looked at each other briefly.  
"Finally," they said together.  
  
He was silent, naturally. Years of this job had improved his abilities. Burmecians had enhanced senses, but so did demons. Both species had spectacular eyesight and hearing, but demons had better a better nose than Burmecians.  
He had inherited this. He sniffed the air, and caught the scents of individuals in the room: his target and a friend. The same friend who had spied on him. The same friend who was a demon hunter.  
His job would be harder now. Quietly he padded across the hallway. He took out his crossbow and looked it over. He then loaded it with an arrow. Two guards walked by, but they didn't notice him. He was invisible to them.  
Suddenly he heard footsteps. Someone besides a guard was walking down the hall. He sniffed the air, and was shocked. A half-demon! Not Meander. Meander couldn't be here, as he would make the work difficult.  
He aimed his crossbow at Meander. Meander stopped stiff.  
"JULIUS!" Meander roared.  
There was a snap. Meander fell. But attention had been gathered. He would have to be quick. He put his crossbow away and drew his sword. Doragon would aid him.  
  
"Julius?" Freya muttered, looking toward the door.  
"Julius," Amarant confirmed. "You stay there. I'll handle this."  
"Amarant -"  
"Shut up, okay?" Amarant snorted as he drew his claws. "You need to concentrate on having your leg heal. I'll concentrate on nailing Julius."  
The door was rammed open, and a man silently walked in. Immediately Freya noticed that he wore nothing to hide his face. It was bony, with sharp cheekbones, a narrow nose, and a smooth chin. His eyes were pitch black. His hair appeared to be completely on fire, though it was merely its color. His skin was extremely pale and almost white. He wore no gloves, and his hands had the familiar slits that held claws. In his hands was a sleek black sword.  
It could only be Julius. Amarant stared coldly at Julius. Julius returned the stare with no fear.  
"Now, demon hunter, show me what you can do," Julius said in the demon tongue.  
"You're asking for it," Amarant replied coldly in demon.  
Amarant said something in demon, and his claws began to turn crimson. Julius rushed forward, sword ready to strike. Amarant dodged the attack and slashed his crimson claws across Julius' arm. The slashes were considerably bigger and more severe than an average attack's. Julius brought his sword to the side and slashed Amarant lightly in the thigh. He then dropped his sword, for his injured arm would not hold it.  
Amarant backed up, holding his hand out. He said something in demon tongue. Nothing seemed to happen, and Julius began to prepare a fire spell.  
A woman outside the room screamed, startling Julius into burning his own hand. A large demon tromped into the room. It walked on strong hind legs and bulky 3-toed back feet with massive claws. It had a long, whip- like tail. It was about seven feet tall. It had small front arms with tiny claws on useless "hands." It had a small head in comparison to its body, with two three-foot-long tusks protruding from its mouth. It located Julius with its beady black eyes and roared.  
Freya and Julius both looked shocked, while Freya was on the edge of terror. The demon hissed and charged toward Julius. It rammed its tail into him, knocking him over. Julius rolled out of the way of its massive tusks. The demon then stomped one of its large feet into Julius' stomach, pinning him to the ground. Freya then watched with shock as the demon slashed Julius in the shoulders with his powerful tusks.  
Julius disappeared into thin air, as expected. The demon hissed and lifted its head. It stared at Freya and snarled. Freya's eyes were full of fear, and she cowered. Amarant said something to the demon in its language. It sounded like praise. The demon looked at him, then walked over, hissing. Amarant began to scratch its long neck, and it growled happily.  
"What the?" Freya began.  
"How else do you think it got in here?" Amarant asked, continuing to scratch the demon's neck. "I called it."  
"But weren't you a -"  
"Yes, I was. But I learned a few things the others didn't bother with," Amarant said.  
"Can you make it do anything?" Freya asked.  
"Yes," Amarant said. He then told the demon to do something in its own language.  
The demon looked in Freya's attention. It then walked over and licked her on the cheek.  
"Ugh!" Freya spat, hiding under the blanket as the demon tried to lick her again.  
"Don't like it?" Amarant asked.  
"His tongue is all slimy!" Freya groaned, still hiding under the blanket. "Ugh!"  
The demon was nosing at the blankets, trying to find an opening.  
"All right, all right, stop kissing her," Amarant said in demon. "She doesn't like it. Go sit by the fireplace. I'll get you some food."  
The demon looked up at Amarant. It then hissed with disgust at Freya and padded over to the fireplace. Amarant chuckled.  
"What's so funny?" Freya asked, poking her head out from under the blanket.  
"He thinks you're extremely rude to think of his friendly gestures as disgusting," Amarant said with a smirk.  
"I think he's rude for licking me in the first place," Freya muttered.  
Amarant relayed this opinion to the demon. He hissed angrily at Freya, and Amarant chuckled. Before Freya could ask what the demon had said, however, Amarant had left.  
  
The rest of the day was quiet. The demon ate the meat Amarant gave it, then slept in front of the fireplace. Meander was too busy sulking in a secret area of the castle to bother anyone. Eiko had to go with Cid and Hilda to a party held in the Theater District. Therefore, Amarant and Freya found themselves with silence.  
Freya sighed softly, deep in thought. Once again Christmas had come with Fratley not being here. Her mind quickly brought her away from that, and brought her to good memories. Times when Fratley, who could never keep asleep through the morning, would wake her up. Times when they would tease each other, trying to get by life with Ebon as a teacher. Times when Fratley would comfort hurt when she cried, fight for her when she was scared, make her laugh without trying, and make her smile when she thought she couldn't take it anymore.  
Those days are over, Freya thought sadly. He's gone. He's been gone for a while.  
He had been gone for years now. That time when she had accidentally made him hit his head against a rock made some of his memory return, and she was sure he had loved her and hadn't just wanted to love her. But now, he was dead. Dead forever.  
Between a dead Fratley and a Fratley with little memory, Freya would take the one with memory loss as long as he still remembered her. But it still wasn't the same. Nothing was the same anymore.  
Freya transformed a choked sob into a sigh. Amarant looked over at her, only to find she was staring ahead, at nothing. Amarant shook his head slightly and turned his gaze back to the wall.  
He had pretty much always been alone. His father had been a drunkard, always out at the bar, only to come home screaming at his mother, who would run off to escape him. His siblings were nothing more than bullies, and Amarant would find clever places to get away from them. Treno had plenty of hiding places, particularly the Auction House's warehouses.  
At 13, Amarant had run away. He had no clue where he was going, and simply rushed across an entire continent and to another. The next thing he knew, he was being taught to hunt demons by a Demon Hunter Village near Tessaih.  
Amarant was a quick learner, but he hated any social interactions. Nervous of being hurt, he had stayed away from people without even knowing of his fear. He wasn't afraid anymore, but being antisocial was still one of his traits. It would probably never leave.  
He became an expert Demon Hunter, impressing everyone. He even learned from the demons, something no Demon Hunter had ever done. He learned their language, their habits, and their ways. He even made a few demon friends, though he didn't tell anyone. And to think one of these demons still remembered.  
Amarant looked over at Oni, who was sleeping near the fireplace. Amarant had saved him from a tortured death. He never agreed with bleeding out a demon, feeling everyone deserved a quick death when it came. Oni had only been a baby, caught when wandering around for food. Miklon had been preparing to bleed it, but Amarant had refused to allow him to do it. Miklon tried to refuse, but Amarant had taken Oni and walked away with him. He raised Oni until it was large enough to survive, but Oni refused to leave completely. He and Amarant had made a deal that the two would help each other. They didn't see each other again until now.  
It was nice to know a demon friend was still alive. Amarant wondered where the others were. He stifled a sigh, and Freya looked at him briefly.  
"I guess we're both the same," Freya commented quietly.  
"How so?" Amarant asked, turning his gaze onto her.  
Freya took a deep breath, staring at the pillow.  
"Neither of us have good memories," Freya whispered.  
"Better than reality," Amarant grunted.  
Freya nodded in agreement, eyes closed to prevent tears. Amarant turned his gaze back to Oni. The two of them then returned to their memories.  
Sweet sorrow.  
  
-------- Hmm. What is my comment? I don't know! I just think I really stink with keeping Amarant in-character o.0 Anyway, so Christmas has passed, Freya's still being stalked, Fratley still hasn't showed up (though poor Freya thinks he's dead), and I really suck with creating pasts, particularly Amarant's (heh). Oh well. The next chapter will actually bring us somewhere ;)  
  
I recently started a new story based on the game Diablo. I already wrote the prologue and the first chapter. If you're interested, please say. I am also ¼ done with the next chapter in Let Fear Propel You Forward. And no one is reading The Purblind Chronicles . (or they just aren't reviewing) Also, no one read Bidding Goodnight! I feel it is one of my best short stories and only one person reviewed it! Could you please read and review it? Thank you =)  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	22. Chapter Twentytwo

Chapter Twenty-two  
Three Days Later; Lindblum; Dragon's Gate; Dawn  
  
She was exhausted.  
Rose slowly approached the massive Dragon's Gate. She was exhausted from having run for hours without rest. Her body ached from the abuse she had received for arguing. She wanted to rest, but she had to speak with Freya. After being beaten for secretly finding her location and arguing with Ebon, she felt she had a right to speak with the Dragon Warrior.  
Apparently the Lindblum guards had the same idea. They didn't bar her way when she approached. They didn't ask any questions or probe her. They simply stepped aside and allowed her to make her way into the city.  
Rose slowly made her way to the aircab station. The pilot smiled, though Rose had nothing to smile about.  
"Where to?" the pilot asked.  
"The Castle, please," Rose said with fatigue.  
"Castle!" the pilot shouted out the aircab.  
Rose didn't even blink when the aircab lurched and headed toward the Castle. She had ridden on them before, when Burmecia had been attacked. She had stayed at Lindblum with Aireff and the others. Now, she was alone. She didn't even know if Freya would be able to listen.  
The aircab came to a stop, and with a quick "Thank you" Rose left the aircab. She rushed as quickly as her tired legs would take her through the castle. Soon, a guard stopped her.  
"Where do you wish to go?" the guard asked.  
"I am Rose, Dragon Warrior of Burmecia. I wish to see Freya, former Dragon Warrior," Rose said.  
The guard looked surprised to see a Dragon Warrior, particularly a female Warrior with graying hair, and gray fur at the mouth. He did bow, however.  
"Follow me, Lady," he said.  
The guard headed off, and Rose followed swiftly. The two headed down a hallway. The guard then motioned to a door. Rose walked over to the door. She placed the back of her hand against it and rattled her fingers.  
The door opened in two seconds, and Freya stared at Rose with some surprise.  
"What are you doing here?" Freya asked.  
"Trouble," Rose replied. "May I come in?"  
"Sure. Just beware of the two men," Freya said.  
"Ha ha," Meander said from inside the room.  
Rose entered the room quietly to find two male humans playing cards. Freya had clearly not been playing with them, but instead watching.  
"Who are you?" Rose asked.  
"Meander," Meander grunted. "And Mr. Silence is Amarant."  
Amarant said nothing. Rose's eyes narrowed.  
"Meander?" she spat.  
"I didn't kill anyone, I swear it," Meander immediately said.  
"You killed Eroy," Rose spat.  
"No I didn't," Meander replied. "That was Julius."  
"What?"  
Everyone looked over at Freya, who was staring wide-eyed at Meander. She looked shocked. Rose frowned, while Meander looked confused.  
"What?" he asked.  
"Did you say that Julius killed Eroy?" Freya asked quietly.  
"Yes," Meander replied.  
There was a long silence. Rose finally broke it.  
"Trouble is brewing in Burmecia. We need you back home," Rose told Freya.  
"I've been banned," Freya replied.  
"Do you think I don't know that? I know you've been banned! But I don't give a shit! Mysterious murders are rising up! Ebon doesn't care! Construction is slowing! Everyone is saying it's because the two Dragon Warriors left! They're saying that if a Dragon Warrior returns, everything will be all right! Freya, they want you! They want you to return order! They believe you're the only one who can stop it all! We want you to come back, God-damn it!" Rose screamed.  
Everyone was silent with shock. Meander shook his head and continued with the card game. Amarant did as well. Freya and Rose stared at each other.  
"Are you saying they want me back?" Freya asked.  
"DAMN IT! Freya, were you listening? Did I get caught and beaten by God-damn Ebon just to find out you turned into an idiot?" Rose screamed angrily.  
Freya only stared with shock. Her eyes then narrowed.  
"He beat you?" Freya asked.  
"Yes," Rose said with a snort. "And he said that if I dared go to you it'd be a banning for me next. And he said you'll be killed if you return."  
"Killed? Freya, you said you'd only get the dungeon!" Amarant snapped, jerking his head in the direction of Freya and Rose.  
Freya was clearly thinking things over. She then smiled.  
"Killed? Well, this is what I say to Ebon: His threats aren't working, because I'm coming back," Freya told Rose.  
Rose's features lit up with a smile. "Seriously? Would you like me to tell him that?"  
"No! Oh God, no! Don't go back there!" Freya immediately protested. "Too dangerous, too dangerous! God, I never thought home would be too dangerous! Please, go to Alexandria. It's safer and -"  
"And Fratley's there," Amarant said before Freya could say anything.  
"What?" Freya asked.  
"Why isn't he here?" Rose asked.  
"I got a letter," Amarant snorted. "He's in a coma. But he's alive in that sense."  
Freya only gawked at Amarant. Rose nodded, eyes lowered.  
"All right," Rose said. She looked up at Freya. "I'll go."  
"There," Freya said, looking over at the older woman. "If you go to Burmecia, I'll kill you if Ebon doesn't first."  
Rose smirked. "You're not my mother."  
"No, I'm not. But I care about you, and I don't want you to go to Burmecia. Fratley would tell you the same thing. So would Aireff," Freya continued.  
"Aireff is back at Burmecia," Rose protested.  
"But he's a man! He's not a woman! He doesn't have to worry about the COL or Ebon!"  
Rose sighed. "You can't convince me."  
"I've figured that out. I can only beg."  
Rose sighed and gave Freya a quick hug. "See you later."  
Rose quietly left the room. Freya sighed with exasperation.  
"Every rose has thorns," Freya said. "And Rose has more than enough of them."  
"I can't believe you're suddenly dying to go back to Burmecia," Amarant said. "I mean, it's dangerous. Shouldn't you -"  
"Look, I'm going back to Burmecia, and you're not changing my mind!" Freya snarled.  
Amarant didn't fight back or snarl. He only smirked.  
"That's exactly the type of attitude I want to see!" Amarant announced triumphantly.  
  
"I don't need an army to come with me to Burmecia! Jeez!"  
Trying to convince Lindblum of that was the trick. Freya looked at all the people who were willing to come with her. She sighed.  
"All right, fine, I'll take Amarant, Eiko, Dominic, and Meander," Freya said.  
It took her a few seconds to figure out whom she had chosen. She then groaned.  
"Oh no. Can I re-choose?" she asked.  
"Nope!" Meander said happily.  
"Crap," Freya muttered.  
"Must Eiko come?" Amarant asked.  
"Yes, she must. She'll be the only girl besides me. Yes, she must come!" Freya retorted.  
"Darn," Amarant muttered.  
"Hey, you could always not go," Freya offered hopefully.  
"And let you get yourself blinded or something? No," Amarant replied. "I'll go get ready."  
Amarant left the dining room. Eiko was nearly bouncing off the walls with joy. Meander was all smiles. Dominic was also smiling, though his smile was sympathetic.  
"God, Freya, do you know what you've gotten yourself into?" he asked.  
"I don't know even half of it, do I?" Freya asked.  
"No," Dominic replied. "You don't."  
Eiko rushed out of the room, Dominic following. Meander's smile became a smirk.  
"God, you're in for quite the trip," Meander said, grinning.  
"You remind of a vampire. Go away, leave me to sulk," Freya groaned.  
Meander chuckled and left.  
  
A few hours later, everyone was as ready as they could be. Amarant had bought a few warp scrolls and a Heavy Lance for Freya ("Your Belated Christmas present"). Meander had his pack stuffed with literally everything he would need. Eiko had a small sack and two moogles with her. Dominic had a small pack full of food. Freya had nothing at all but the clothes on her back and the Lance Amarant bought her.  
"All right, if you're ready, shout 'here'," Freya said absentmindedly.  
"HERE!" everyone shouted.  
"Shit, not so loud!" Freya replied.  
"Hey, you told us to shout," Meander said with a shrug.  
"And you said you were in charge," Amarant pointed out.  
"All right, all right, all right! Look, let's just get moving!" Freya replied.  
"And we're off!" Meander shouted, running out the door. Amarant followed at a slower pace.  
Dominic smiled sympathetically at Freya. He then left. Eiko was giggling uncontrollably. Freya sighed and walked over to Eiko.  
"Please answer this question. What have I gotten myself into?" Freya asked.  
Eiko stopped giggling long enough to answer.  
"Quite the adventure."  
  
The group quickly left Lindblum. When outside, Freya sighed with relief. It was nice to actually be outside and with fresh air.  
"Are we going to get moving?" Amarant asked.  
"Maybe," Freya replied. "I'm in charge. I say when we go."  
"I'm hungry," Meander commented. "I'm going to go hunt, okay?"  
"Uh, well, all right," Freya replied, clearly confused.  
"Awesome," Meander said. He licked his lips and headed off with no weapons.  
"I don't want to know how he's going to hunt," Freya commented.  
"Well, I guess we're stuck here until he gets back," Amarant grunted.  
"We need a plan anyway," Dominic said. "Julius is no doubt going to try and nail us while we're on the move. I say that someone holds watch each night, except Freya."  
"And why not me?" Freya asked.  
"Because you're the one Julius wants. If you get attacked, you won't scream. You'll be killed. No, we're not going to allow you to watch," Dominic said.  
Freya snorted, but said nothing.  
"All right. Now, if Julius attacks while you're on watch, do something to wake us up," Dominic said.  
"Can we step on you?" Amarant asked.  
"Anything," Dominic said. "Do anything."  
Amarant grinned.  
"All right. I say we don't stop often. Only at night. I'm sure we can survive on low rations?" Dominic asked.  
"I can cook a lot in five minutes," Freya said. "Easily."  
"You're the chef then," Amarant said.  
"Damn it," Freya muttered.  
"I can help!" Eiko chirped.  
There was a long silence. Apparently no one wanted Eiko to help.  
"All right," Dominic said. "I think we're okay for now."  
"Meander's back," Amarant commented. "He caught a rabbit."  
"A rabbit?" Freya asked.  
"Yeah," Amarant said. He then raised his voice. "We're not hungry, Meander. Not after what you did to it."  
"All the more for me, then," Meander said.  
Everyone looked over at the rabbit Meander held, and they quickly turned away.  
"You're right, Amarant," Freya said. "We definitely aren't hungry anymore."  
"It's just a little bloodied," Meander said.  
"A little bloodied and torn to pieces," Freya replied.  
"Same thing as if it were cooked," Meander pointed out.  
"Yeah, except your teeth were on it."  
"How'd you know?"  
"Teeth marks."  
"Heh. Want to try some?"  
"I cook my food, Meander."  
"Oh well."  
Meander sat down and began to eat the rabbit. Freya sighed.  
"As soon as he's done with his little snack we'll go," Freya told everyone.  
Everyone nodded, except Meander, who was too busy eating.  
  
Within five minutes, they were on the move. And as she walked away from Lindblum with her new team, Freya had an odd feeling something was watching them.  
  
------- Sorry about long update. Anyway, Freya's finally on the move =) We're going to actually get somewhere *gasps*  
  
I'm still not done with the Let Fear Propel You Forward chapter. I haven't had much time to write. I'll try to catch up, I promise!  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	23. Chapter Twentythree

Chapter Twenty-three  
Alexandria; Alexandria Castle; Mid-morning  
  
It was time for the sleeper to awaken.  
Wanderer walked slowly toward the Queen's room, Landloper walking obediently by his side. They made slow progress, as Wanderer was relying more and more on his walking stick, but they still made it before the Queen got out. His knuckles rapped softly against the door, and soon the young Queen was staring into Wanderer's rust eyes.  
"May I help you?" Garnet asked. She was dressed in an average outfit, with her hair in a bit of disarray.  
"I understand that you hold Sir Fratley of Burmecia in your custody?" Wanderer asked politely.  
"Yes, I do," Garnet replied.  
"I wish to see him, if I may," Wanderer requested.  
Garnet took a deep breath. "Certainly. Go downstairs and take a left. Aldebert Steiner should be in one of the rooms down that hall. Tell him I give you permission to see Fratley."  
  
Wanderer bowed. "Thank you, My Queen."  
Wanderer stepped back down the stairs and took a left. He and Landloper alternated which room they looked into until Landloper finally let out a low bark. Wanderer walked over to the room and saw two knights eating breakfast. Wanderer concluded them to be Steiner and Beatrix.  
"Pardon my rudeness, but the Queen has given me permission to see Sir Fratley of Burmecia, who is in your custody. If it is not too much trouble, could you?—" Wanderer began.  
"Of course," Steiner said, rising.  
Steiner left the room, his armor rattling with each step. Slowly Wanderer followed him, Landloper by his side. Steiner cast a wary glance on the roan Great Dane, but said nothing. He simply kept walking.  
Soon Steiner reached a small staircase, and Wanderer steadily followed. The two walked over to a room that Steiner silently entered. In the room was bed, and in the bed was Fratley. His breaths were soft and almost not even there. It was clear that he hadn't moved at all in his sleep. Wanderer quietly walked over.  
"Time to wake up, Fratley," Wanderer muttered.  
Wanderer put his fingers in front of his eyes, and brought them across, leaving a burning trail. He closed his eyes and concentrated on Fratley's looks. When he opened his eyes, he could see Fratley's mind within the burning trails. Silently he pressed the vision, muttering "coma". The vision moved, and soon Wanderer found himself faced with hundreds of strands. Most of them were memory strands, locked up within a shield that Wanderer, sadly, could not penetrate. Some memories had escaped, and the thing allowing them to escape was a single shiny thread. A coma thread; Wanderer had given it the ability to restore memories a week before. But then the coma thread wouldn't leave, it seemed, and now Wanderer knew what he must do.  
Wanderer reached within the vision and took the coma thread. He pulled it out with ease. Fratley winced, but Wanderer ignored him. He instead squeezed the coma thread until it was crushed. The thread fell as a soft white powder and disappeared before it hit the ground.  
Steiner had seen nothing. He had only seen the burning trails, and he watched Wanderer move his hands, but nothing else. He looked highly confused, but soon he stared at Fratley. Fratley was stirring.  
  
Fratley slowly opened his eyes. Well, actually, he soon came to the conclusion that there was only one eye to open. Half of his face was darkness, while he could see with the other half. He sighed softly, and slowly rose into a sitting position to find himself staring at a Burmecian, a Great Dane, and Steiner.  
"Hello?" Fratley half-said, half-asked.  
Steiner seemed extremely surprised. Fratley's accent had completely changed. No longer did it hold the average Burmecian qualities. There was something foreign about it, a foreign sound that rose about the Burmecian accent and added a unique sound. Wanderer smiled.  
"So you are half-Dari," He said.  
"Yes," Fratley replied.  
"So you remember," Wanderer pointed out. "Do you remember how to speak it?"  
Fratley blinked. He remembered?  
That's right. You lost your memory, remember? Fratley reminded himself.  
"Yes, I can speak the accen'. And I remembe' it, too," Fratley told Wanderer in a Dari accent.  
Wanderer smiled and nodded. "Good. That's good."  
"What's going on?" Steiner asked. "What happened?"  
"Simple," Wanderer said. "I got him out his coma. A coma thread had gotten in – probably the blow on the head. I destroyed it. Apparently the coma restored some of his memory."  
"Where's Freya?" Fratley asked, slowly remembering what had happened before he was knocked out. "And what day is it?"  
"Freya was last seen at Lindblum. Supposedly she left for Burmecia. It is December 28," Wanderer replied.  
"December 28?" Fratley repeated the date slowly. He then suddenly leapt out of the bed. "Terrific! I've been here for nearly two weeks! You say Freya went to Burmecia?"  
"Yes," Wanderer replied.  
"Then that's where I'm going."  
"What? So soon?" Steiner asked, finally getting a word in. "But shouldn't you—"  
"I have rested for quite a while, Steiner. Two weeks, nearly. If you are really concerned, then I will travel with someone, but otherwise I will most likely be gone by this evening," Fratley replied politely. He turned his gaze to the window. "I have to."  
"You wouldn't mind if I went with you, would you?" Wanderer asked, watching Fratley with his rust eyes.  
Fratley looked over at Wanderer and smiled.  
"The more the merrier?" he asked, then chuckled. "Sure, you may come, if you answer this question: how old are you? I can't figure it out."  
"27," Wanderer replied.  
"And you have a cane?" Fratley asked with surprise.  
"This?" Wanderer asked, lifting the walking stick with no problems. "I -- I really don't need it, actually. It's just nice to have if you break your leg."  
"Well, I suggest the both of you consult with the Queen before you leave. At least thank her for her hospitality," Steiner said with a snort. He then left.  
"Okay," Fratley muttered.  
"Merely the fact that we are so anxious to leave," Wanderer replied. "Come. Let us go see the Queen."  
With that, Wanderer turned around and left the room with surprising quickness. Quickly Fratley followed. They swiftly walked toward the Queen's room, only to meet her at the bottom of the stairs.  
"Good day, My Queen," Fratley said quickly as a look of confusion came over Garnet's face. "I came to tell you that I will be leaving."  
"So soon?" Garnet asked, surprised that he was awake. "Certainly you should at least stay for breakfast, and get ready."  
"I'm sure we can spare it," Wanderer said to Fratley.  
Fratley nodded thoughtfully. "Certainly."  
The three walked down to the dining room, where a nice-looking breakfast had been set up. Garnet sat down at the end of the table and quickly filled up her plate with a light breakfast. Wanderer and Fratley also sat down, but Fratley only grabbed a slice of bread while Wanderer took nothing at all. Steiner and Beatrix, who had been sitting at the table when Garnet had entered, cast wary glances at the two Burmecians, but said nothing.  
"So you're awake."  
Fratley turned his head in the direction of the female voice to find a cat Demi-human staring at him. Zidane came in behind her and sat down at the table. He smiled at everyone before beginning to pile his plate with food. Fratley and the Demi-human continued to stare at each other.  
"Who are you?" Fratley at last asked.  
"Kitski, a healer. I see you finally got up, and I see Wanderer is here. I know what happened, but I won't say a word. I only ask where you are going to go," the Demi-human said matter-of-factly.  
"Burmecia," Fratley replied.  
"That place? It's dangerous, and you live in danger, judging by what you went through. I'm coming with you," Kitski said.  
"Uh, all right," Fratley said, feeling he had nothing else to say.  
"Anyone else coming?" Wanderer asked.  
"You may want to consult Vivi," Zidane said. "If things are bad up in Burmecia, you could use a mage."  
"Where is Vivi?" Wanderer asked.  
"Not sure, actually," Zidane admitted.  
Wanderer nodded. "No worry. I'll find him."  
Wanderer rose to his feet and left the room. Everyone watched him leave.  
"Where is he going?" Garnet asked.  
"I have no clue," Fratley replied.  
"He's going to find Vivi," Kitski grunted.  
Fratley finished up the bread he had been chewing.  
"Thank you for the breakfast. I'm going to go get ready. Thank you for the hospitality," Fratley said.  
He left the room.  
  
"HEY!"  
The high female voice startled Fratley, but he soon smiled as Cleo faded into the room.  
"Hello hello hello! It good to see you alive!" Cleo chirped. "I been traveling trying to help!"  
"Traveling? Where are you going?" Fratley asked.  
"I go to COL and report information to Meander and, if he in mood to see me, Amarant!" Cleo chirped happily. "It pretty secret, though. We no want to freak Freya out much. She needs to relax, but she won't."  
Fratley frowned. "That's unfortunate. Why won't she relax?"  
"She think you're dead," Cleo replied.  
"Seriously? Hasn't anyone told her otherwise?" Fratley asked, surprised and worried.  
"Yes yes yes. She know you were in coma but she seemed to think that you die from it," Cleo chirped.  
Fratley's frowned deepened. Freya wasn't exactly pessimistic, but clearly she was extremely depressed.  
"Come, Cleo. I'm returning to Burmecia. I'm sure you would like to come," Fratley said.  
"Of course!" Cleo chirped. "Let's go!"  
The two headed off.  
  
"Are we ready?"  
Wanderer was the one of the first to speak in ten minutes. Everyone had been silently waiting for the other. Kitski had been one of the first to appear, and she was quiet. Vivi was there, and thankfully he had offered to come alone, allowing his sons to trail along if they wished. Fratley did not want a large party, and no one blamed him. They could attract attention.  
"I am," Vivi said quietly.  
"Ready ready!" Cleo chirped loudly.  
"I am all set," Fratley replied.  
"Ready," Kitski said curtly.  
"Then vamos! We cannot waste much time," Wanderer said. His voice was calm, though he was clearly impatient.  
"Vamos?" Vivi asked with confusion.  
"Something tells me I should know what that means," Fratley muttered, brow furrowed. "Damn my cursed memory."  
"It means 'let us go,'" Wanderer explained.  
"Then let us follow that advice and head off," Fratley replied.  
Vivi nodded, while Cleo clapped and Kitski snorted. Taking one last check of their supplies, the five headed out of Alexandria. Fratley was amazed to find himself faced with an endless of expansion of white snow.  
"Wow," he muttered.  
"Pretty, isn't it?" Wanderer asked. "You could not admire such beauty when the mist was still about. Now the sun can shine freely on the white snow."  
"And blind us in the process," Fratley muttered.  
Wanderer laughed lightly. "That too. Now, shall we go? Or shall we waste time while Ebon rampages about and Julius is in the middle of it?"  
This brought Fratley to attention. He didn't bother asking how Wanderer knew all this. He only spoke two words.  
"Vamos, then."  
  
-------- Oh my God, it's FRATLEY! Heh, yep, he's back. Now everyone's on the move! Things are going to speed up a bit (glory hallelujah) so stay tuned!  
  
I know, I know, I haven't updated quickly. I've had lots to do, and I'm lazy, heh. I've actually been writing the chapters – Just not updating O.o Mean, I know. I'll try to be nicer (and try to actually get to writing Let Fear Propel You Forward)  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	24. Chapter Twentyfour

Chapter Twenty-four  
Euronos Plains; Evening  
  
"All right, let's break for the night."  
The sun was low in the sky when these words flowed from Freya's mouth. The snow was shining in the light of the setting sun. Snow was falling slowly from the sky, and the coming of clouds from the east told of a storm. Meander and Eiko had been having a snowball fight while they walked. Dominic had been very smiley, but he seemed alert and on guard. Both Freya and Amarant were sullen, looking around constantly. Finally, Freya couldn't stand any of it, and she had called the break.  
Meander and Eiko continued their snowball fight and began to build forts. Dominic looked with confusion toward Freya, but, seeing her look, suddenly came up with an excuse that he wanted to look for herbs. Amarant simply sat in the snow, looking around. Freya walked over and sat next to him. The two looked at each other.  
"What's wrong with you?" they asked each other concurrently.  
An awkward silence followed as the two tried to figure out how to answer the question, and even when they did know, they didn't know who should answer first. When they did talk, they were talking at the same time, and once again they fell silent.  
"Flip a coin?" Freya asked humorously. "Whoever wins the toss gets to talk?"  
"Nah, you go," Amarant replied.  
Freya took a deep breath.  
"I'm just worried," she said. "Something tells me that something is following us. Have you felt the ground shake?"  
Amarant nodded.  
"It's unusual, no?" Freya asked.  
"It's unnatural," Amarant said in agreement.  
"Right. I think a serpent is following us, and unfortunately I fear it is Leviathan. Then, not only the ground is odd, but just everything else. I fear someone besides a serpent is following us. I fear Julius is stalking us. He's stalking me, of course, but I fear he's closer than usual," Freya explained.  
"You're scared," Amarant said, and Freya heard his surprise.  
Freya stared at him with surprise. She had not realized her own fear until now. It slowly hit her, and when it did, she felt more miserable than before.  
"Yes," Freya admitted quietly. "I'm scared."  
Amarant nodded slightly.  
"Makes enough sense for you to be scared," Amarant grunted. "I just didn't think you would be."  
"It's rather shameful to be—"Freya was cut off by a snowball. "God- damn it, Meander! Keep your God-damn snowball fight between you and Eiko!"  
"No shame in fear. But there is shame in throwing a snowball at you," Amarant grunted.  
"Oh, have spirit," Meander grunted, and he turned away.  
"Asshole," Amarant muttered. "Anyway, I'm also afraid that a serpent may be following, and I sense demons – Many of them. I'm worried about you."  
"Why?" Freya asked with some surprise.  
"Bitch, what do you think? It's because I care about you," Amarant replied.  
"So the All-Caring Amarant does care. Shame you don't care that much since you called me a—"  
  
Freya was cut off by a demon yelp. Amarant immediately looked around. Freya also did, and when she located the creature that yelped, her eyes bulged.  
"Oh my God," she whispered.  
On the horizon a horde was forming. Slowly red-scaled beings began to crowd. Their scales shone in the sun. Large spikes protruded from their backs; these spikes were at least three inches long. The creatures sported a very wolf-like appearance, but they were slightly larger than the average wolf. They had wolf-like heads except for small horns between their ears. They had long, sharp fangs that were being bared in aggression. Their feet sported long, sharp nails that were at least an inch long. They had a small one-inch tail. One of the creatures let out a demon bay, and the many others picked up the call and joined in a haunting chorus.  
"Demon Dogs," Amarant muttered. "Freya, if I were you, I would run."  
Freya rose to her feet slowly, but the movement was immediately located by the demon dogs. They then began to race down the small hill, baying. Their fangs gleamed in the setting sun. Freya watched with shock as she tried to count them. 20, 30, 40...  
Suddenly a Rising Sun streaked through the belly of a demon dog. It yelped with pain and stumbled, only to be trampled by its companions. The demon dogs changed course. They headed straight for Amarant. Amarant shoved Freya to the west. Freya's mind registered panic and Freya ran in the direction she was shoved. She could hear the claws of the demon dogs scarping the ground, and she could feel her own feet pounding against the earth, but she couldn't see. Something was blinding her.  
You are a Dragon Warrior, spoke a voice within her. Dragon Warriors do not run. They put the innocent before their own life.  
Freya could hear the demon dogs snarl as they found their target.  
You will not run. You will fight, the voice commanded.  
Freya slowly turned direction, or at least it felt slow. She took out her spear and began to rush toward the demon dogs, who were attacking Amarant. She did not realize she was doing any of this.  
She did, however, hear the yelp of a startled demon dog. And her senses suddenly snapped together. She watched as a demon dog, with its stomach ripped open, fell to the ground, knocking over a companion. Slowly a soft red mist came from the punctured belly of the demon dog with a mixture of pinkish blood. The same pinkish blood covered the blade of Freya's spear.  
"Freya, no," Amarant muttered, rising shakily to his feet. Half of his face looked like it had been ripped off, though Freya could not be sure. There was too much blood on his face to tell.  
All the demon dogs were facing Freya, snarling. Freya readied her spear and slashed at them. The demon dogs suddenly pounced on her, tearing at whatever they could catch. Freya yelped with fear and surprise as she lost her footing and fell to the ground from the added weight. It felt like the demon dogs were tearing Freya apart. She spun her spear and slashed at the demon dogs so quickly and frantically that she began to cut herself.  
Slowly the demon dogs fell off her and soon Freya rose to her feet. The demon dogs snapped at her, trying to tear her apart. She stumbled, trying to fend them off. Over the yapping, though, Freya heard a snap.  
She automatically grabbed for the nearest animal – And it happened to be a demon dog. Freya held the surprised demon dog near her chest. Soon it began to tear at her arms and hands.  
Suddenly an arrow slammed into the demon dog's head. It yelped with surprise, and Freya dropped it. The demon dog stumbled about, then fell to the ground.  
Once again the demon dogs hounded Freya. They had switched to Meander temporarily since he had slashed at them with his sword, but now Freya was their target. Meander snorted angrily and suddenly cast a Firaga spell near a tree. The Firaga spell nailed a figure, which toppled to the ground and disappeared into the thin air.  
"All demon dogs in the Euronus Plain, die!" Dominic suddenly shouted as loud as he could.  
There was a brief silence and time seemed to stand still. All the demon dogs then let out a high-pitched yelp of death. Freya's ears rung from the noise. She scrambled weakly to her feet and backed away. She then watched as all the demon dogs collapsed to the ground. At first Freya thought they were simply exhausted or feigning death, but then red mist came from their bodies and filled the air. Soon the demon dogs were gone, and all that remained was the red mist.  
Freya stared weakly at the ground. She could see the snow stained red. She swallowed, wondering if all that blood was hers.  
"Freya?" Meander's voice floated through the air, and it seemed to come from all directions.  
Freya looked around, suddenly confused. She could see Amarant on the ground, while Eiko looked worried. Meander seemed worried as well.  
"I'm fine," Freya choked out.  
She collapsed into the red snow.  
  
"'I'm fine'. Bah! Then why did she collapse in the snow, I wonder?" Meander was saying sarcastically to Amarant an hour later.  
"Because she hates to admit to weakness," Amarant replied grumpily.  
Amarant and Freya were both healed of their wounds thanks to powerful Curaga spells from Eiko, though they still had some cuts. But Freya was still unconscious. Amarant assumed it was exhaustion and shock. Meander assumed it was the many wounds she took.  
"She'll wake up," Meander said. "She seems strong."  
"Certainly she'll wake up. When I don't know, but she will," Amarant said in agreement, watching Freya.  
A cold wind passed by, making Meander shiver and pull his blanket closer. They were all lying on one huge blanket, but they had their own. Eiko was communicating with the eidolons, while Dominic had headed off to get herbs – And this time, he was serious. Meander and Amarant were facing each other, talking quietly. Freya was lying beside them, her only movement being the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.  
"So, what do you make of this attack?" Meander asked.  
"Julius summoned the horde. Pretty clever, too. He almost got her. I don't know how she heard that crossbow, though," Amarant replied.  
"I was surprised too," Meander replied. "Demons have spectacular hearing, and I couldn't hear it. I wonder – Did she hear it, or sense it?"  
"Whatever she did, she defended herself against death and nearly got her arms ripped off," Amarant commented. "She'll have the scars to prove it."  
"You nearly got your face ripped off," Meander pointed out.  
"Yeah, now I'm uglier than usual," Amarant replied with a shrug.  
Meander chuckled. "Wow, such self-confidence."  
  
Freya let out a soft sigh, causing Meander and Amarant to look in her direction. Her eyelids flickered.  
"Wow, non-breathing signs of movement!" Meander gasped teasingly.  
"Give her a break, she was attacked by 56 demon dogs," Amarant muttered.  
"58," Meander snapped.  
"I killed one, and so did she. Do the math, asshole," Amarant replied.  
Meander sighed. Freya's eyes slowly opened. She sighed softly and rose slowly into a sitting position. She looked around.  
"What?" she asked.  
"You've been unconscious for an hour," Amarant replied.  
"Not bad, considering Fratley's been unconscious for two weeks," Freya groaned.  
"Good point," Amarant grunted.  
"Where is everyone?" Freya asked.  
"Dominic went to look for herbs and Eiko was over there, though now I don't know where she went," Meander replied.  
Freya nodded. "Right. And no dangers have come?"  
"None," Amarant grunted.  
Freya looked over at him and quickly noticed the scars on the left side of his face.  
"So you did nearly get your face ripped off," she muttered.  
"Your arms nearly got torn apart," Amarant retorted.  
Freya looked down at her arms. They were covered in scars. She sighed and lied her head down on the blanket.  
"Just one set of many more to come," she muttered.  
"Eh?" Meander asked.  
"Fool, she's saying it's not over," Amarant grunted.  
"Oh," Meander grunted. "Sorry, I didn't know..."  
Freya curled up into a semi-ball, eyes closed. She wanted to sleep and leave this world, not talk. She sighed softly once more, for sleep refused to come easily. She heard someone rise and walk away.  
"What's the matter?" Amarant asked.  
"Life," Freya replied. "What about you?"  
  
"Life," Amarant replied.  
Freya felt a hand on her shoulder.  
"Relax, would you? Things will get better," Amarant grunted.  
"There's a better chance of me dying of overdrinking and you getting married over things getting better," Freya growled.  
Amarant chuckled. "You've been around me for way too long."  
"Oh, hush. Just let me sleep," Freya replied.  
"Oh, fine, bitch," Amarant whispered. "But don't bother waking up for guard."  
"Don't bother waking me up for guard, either. I'll just go back to sleep."  
"Fresh tonight, are you?"  
  
"Why not? Just let me sleep!"  
The hand on Freya's shoulder left.  
"All right, all right. Just promise you'll be back to normal tomorrow," Amarant grunted, and Freya heard him shift.  
"Puh." was Freya's reply.  
  
Amarant stared at Freya quietly, watching as she slowly fell asleep. Something was wrong with her. He could tell, though he could not say exactly what was wrong with her. She seemed too cynical and miserable. What had happened to her confidence? She didn't seem like the Freya Amarant had known.  
She's not telling us something, Amarant thought.  
But what? Amarant's mind came up with no answers. He looked over at the scars that Freya had taken.  
Just one set in many more to come... She's not only saying it's not over. She's saying she's going to get more scars, Amarant thought. How unlike you, Freya.  
Freya let out a slightly choked sob, but Amarant wasn't surprised. He only shook his head slightly.  
To think you've been calling her names. Perhaps it's time to be nice, Amarant thought.  
Suddenly Amarant found himself thinking over where the name "Freya" could've come from.  
"What are you doing?"  
  
Meander sat down beside Amarant.  
"Thinking over where the name 'Freya' could've come from," Amarant replied.  
"Probably a parent liked the name," Meander replied.  
Parent... Parent! Suddenly Amarant's mind flooded with ideas. Wasn't Freya's father dead? Didn't he die before she was even born? He recalled someone saying that. And then his mind remembered more. Her father hadn't died of a disease or an accident.  
He had been murdered.  
Amarant looked down at Freya. Who had he been murdered by again?  
Julius.  
Suddenly it was all clear to Amarant. He knew why Freya was acting so strangely. It was her father's death. Julius had killed her father. So Freya was troubled by such a happening. That was why she was so sullen. Then, she had called a break because walking gave her too much time to think about it! She asked Amarant what was wrong because thinking about his problems brought her away from her own! She wanted to sleep so she could stop thinking about it!  
It all made sense.  
"So that's it," Amarant muttered.  
"What?" Meander asked.  
"I just figured out why Freya's acting so odd," Amarant replied.  
"This isn't normal for her?" Meander asked.  
"Not at all. She's upset by her father's death. All her actions are done either because she can't stop thinking about it or because she's trying to stop. But why can't she tell us?" Amarant wondered.  
"Who knows," Meander grunted.  
"Good point," Amarant muttered. "But that's basically what's happening. And she wants to sleep to get away from it."  
"Wonder if it's helping," Meander muttered.  
Amarant looked over at Freya. "Oh, I highly doubt it. It seems that she's only giving herself more time to be trapped by the nightmares that haunt her in reality."  
Meander gave Amarant a baffled look. Amarant motioned to Freya. When Meander gave Freya a closer look, he understood what Amarant meant.  
Freya was crying in her sleep.  
  
---------- Okay, this chapter held one of the worse fights of the story. My comment? None, really.  
  
My father's computer is doing funny things. My stories are on my father's computer. The network is screwed up. Why am I telling you this? It'll slow updates down on this story a bit. Let Fear Propel You Forward is on a Floppy, though, so it shouldn't slow down. *Cough*  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations ,and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	25. Chapter Twentyfive

Chapter Twenty-five  
The Next Day; Zamo Basin; Early Morning  
  
Fratley found progress to be exceedingly slow. It was not because they were being attacked, however. It was because Fratley wanted to be sympathetic was Wanderer. Wanderer walked swiftly, but Fratley could see that it was taking energy, and by the end of one travelling day, Wanderer was exhausted. Not wanting to be a tyrant, Fratley decided to come out early, giving Wanderer some time to rest.  
"You don't need to do this. I can walk," Wanderer protested. He was lying on soft grass, for Vivi had melted away the snow.  
Fratley looked over at Wanderer. The 28-year-old probably would've been considered sitting completely normal if it weren't for the fact that his left leg was held outward. His right leg was in an average bent position. Beside Wanderer's left side was his walking stick. Landloper sat near his owner's left, watching for any sudden moves.  
"Is something wrong with your leg?" Fratley asked.  
"Oh no, not at all," Wanderer said immediately. "It's just sore."  
"Just sore? I doubt it," Fratley replied.  
"It no sore! But it no broken! What wrong with it?" Cleo asked.  
Kitski glanced over at Wanderer with a look that clearly said she knew what was wrong. Wanderer looked away. He stared at Landloper and began to scratch the dog behind the ears.  
"I can't feel it," Wanderer muttered quietly.  
"Can't feel it? Are you saying it's paralysis?" Fratley asked.  
"Perhaps so," Wanderer said. "It will move, but I can't command it to move, if you understand what I am saying. For example..."  
Wanderer shifted to rise to his feet. He took his walking this and placed it on the ground. Then, using his right leg, he rose to his feet. He then moved to fall to his knees. It took until he was very close to the ground before his left leg finally suddenly moved.  
"It'll move," Wanderer said. "But not with cooperation."  
"Does it hurt?" Fratley asked.  
"Slash it," Wanderer replied.  
"What?" Fratley asked.  
"Take your spear and cut it," Wanderer said, moving into a comfortable sitting position.  
Fratley took his spear. Then, nervous of hurting Wanderer, he lightly slashed Wanderer's left leg. A little blood came from the cut, and Wanderer didn't wince.  
"No, it doesn't hurt. I can't feel a thing," Wanderer replied. "I can't even feel the blood."  
Fratley stared with surprise. "Why didn't you tell us?"  
"Because when you're a warrior, it's not smart to tell of these things. I can fight and run and jump perfectly fine, as I'm sure you all have noticed, and I'm extremely nimble in the water. But that doesn't matter to many," Wanderer replied.  
"Good point. It matters here, not because we don't want you fighting, but because we don't want to exhaust you. If you get tired, just let me know," Fratley said.  
Wanderer smiled. "Thank you, but that won't be necessary. Getting to Burmecia swiftly is far more important than my health."  
"No. Fratley knows what he is saying," Kitski growled, saying something for the first time since they left. "When you grow older, that other leg of yours is going to hurt a lot. The less you use it, the less it'll hurt in the outcome. We will rest."  
Wanderer found he had no complaint. He merely nodded slightly. Within ten minutes, however, the party was on the move.  
  
"Something's wrong."  
Freya was woken by Amarant's gruff voice, and she quickly understood what he meant. The ground was shaking. She rose into a sitting position.  
"Demons?" she asked.  
"No," Amarant replied. "Worse."  
"Oh no," Freya muttered.  
Quickly Freya leapt to her feet and took out her Heavy Lance. She was relieved to see everyone else awake and ready to fight. Below them, the ground was shaking roughly. Eiko and Dominic lost their footing and fell to the ground. Amarant also had trouble standing, though he only fell to his knees. Meander and Freya were both able to stand perfectly still.  
Suddenly the ground exploded a few feet away, and Leviathan came out of the ground with a mass explosion of water. The serpent screamed angrily, his red eyes focused on Freya. Freya's eyes narrowed. She spun her spear about.  
"I'm healthier this time, you stupid worm!" Freya screamed.  
Leviathan screamed at her, apparently insulted. He then slithered forward at an incredible speed and snapped at Freya. Freya leapt in the air and out of the way. Amarant slashed at Leviathan's side just as the serpent snapped for Freya's rising body. Finding Amarant to be a worse threat, Leviathan hissed and snapped for the man. Amarant ran out of the way. As he did, Meander passed through the path Amarant had once been in the way of. Meander slashed at Leviathan's side with his mysterious sword. Leviathan screamed angrily, but soon he was even angrier, as Freya's spear slammed into his head.  
Leviathan shook madly, dislodging Freya's spear. His tail lashed out and slammed into Amarant, who went flying straight into Dominic. The two toppled to the ground. Meander suddenly vanished into thin air, but he quickly appeared near Eiko seconds later. Freya landed on top of Leviathan's head. Leviathan tipped his head upward suddenly, causing Freya to fly in the air. He opened his mouth to swallow Freya as she came down.  
A fire spell slammed into Leviathan's eye, and the serpent thrashed with pain. Freya landed on his head once again, but this time the serpent's thrashing threw her off immediately. She slammed into the ground, just managing to slide past her spear and not over it. Eiko had her flute to her lips, as if ready to call something. Meander shook his head at her, muttering that it wasn't needed.  
Amarant and Dominic had risen to their feet by this point. Amarant rushed toward Leviathan, who was slowly coming back to his senses. Freya had risen to her feet as well, and she picked up her spear. Dominic watched as she ran toward Leviathan as well.  
Leviathan noticed what was happening. Just at the last minute, he slithered out of the way. Amarant and Freya collided with each other. Dominic couldn't help but laugh as Amarant and Freya fell over. Freya quickly leapt to her feet and gave Amarant an aggravated kick. She then rushed toward Leviathan. Mumbling curses under his breath, Amarant rose to his feet as well and watched as Freya leapt in the air. She slammed her spear into the upper portion of Leviathan's body. Hissing with aggravation, the bleeding serpent lifted his fanned tail and used it to smack Freya to the ground.  
Amarant rushed forward and slashed at Leviathan's side at the same time a fire spell nailed the same area. Both Amarant and Leviathan were hit. Meander smirked.  
"Whoops," he muttered with a bitter chuckle.  
Amarant, apparently, had not taken the fire spell well. Eiko quickly cast a Cura spell. The only problem was that Amarant was so close to Leviathan that the Cura spell cured both Amarant and Leviathan. Amarant cursed under his breath while Leviathan hissed with happiness and slithered toward Freya. Freya found she could only shake her head with disbelief at the stupidity of the whole situation. Then, sighing, she lifted her hand.  
"Power of the heavens, send the dragon's breath!" she shouted.  
A dragon's head appeared in the dirt, and it sent fiery breath on Leviathan. Leviathan screamed with pain. He was soon screaming even more when Amarant dug his claws into Leviathan's side. A fire spell nailed Leviathan in the back of the head. The serpent hissed with frustration. He then slowly vanished.  
A few seconds passed. Meander then started laughing.  
"That was insane! Are we awake yet? What were we doing?" Meander asked, laughing.  
"I don't know," Freya muttered. "I think we were just a little stupid that time."  
"Why didn't you stop moving?" Amarant asked. "You can slow down quicker than I can."  
"I didn't see you coming," Freya replied. "Why didn't you move out of the way of the fire spell?"  
"I didn't see it coming," Amarant replied.  
"There you have it," Freya replied. She paused. "Well, now that we are awake, shall we head off? Burmecia is only a day away."  
No one objected. Clearly everyone wanted to get back to civilization. Nodding silently to each other, the team headed off.  
  
Within a few hours, Freya found her good mood to be crushed. For standing in front of her was the entrance to Gizumaluke's Grotto. For quite some time she stared at the entrance to the Grotto while her team entered. Then, with a soft sigh, she entered.  
The Burmecians had made a desperate attempt to clean up the Grotto. They removed the bodies, cleaned up the tossed over barrels and supplies, and desperately tried to clean up the water. But some things couldn't be taken away. Dried blood still stained parts of the floor and walls. Some of the water still ran red. The place smelled of blood and death.  
Most of the group walked through the desolate place with no troubles. But Freya's mood was dragged down the farther she walked into the Grotto. Everything brought back catastrophic memories. Freya's walked slowed, and she sighed softly. Everything was simply too depressing.  
After what seemed like years, the end of the Grotto was reached. But Freya didn't like the look of the water that once held Gizumaluke. The water was a reddish brown color, and it reeked with decay.  
"What's in there?" Meander asked with disgust.  
Freya slowly walked over to the murky waters and looked within them. Her nose wrinkled with disgust, while her eyes grew sad. She turned away.  
"Nothing but the remains of a Master," Freya muttered quietly as she walked out of the Grotto.  
Meander gave her a confused look, then looked into the waters. His eyes widened, but he said nothing.  
At the bottom of the murky pools were the decaying remains of Gizumaluke. The waters were slowly eating him away.  
  
A few hours progress brought not only slightly warmer weather, but also a new traveler. The sun in his eyes annoyed Fratley, but soon he was distracted as he immediately recognized a Burmecian heading toward them. The Burmecian looked injured.  
"Oh no," Fratley muttered, and before anyone could ask what was wrong, he ran over to the other Burmecian.  
Rose had seen Fratley coming, and she stopped walking. She was exhausted, angry, and hurt. But seeing Fratley alive and well shocked and delighted her.  
"What happened?" Fratley asked.  
"Step one when Ebon rules," Rose managed to say, as her energy suddenly left. "Never return to Burmecia after one threat."  
Before Fratley could even begin to ask, Rose collapsed. Kitski walked over.  
"What happened?" she asked, kneeling down beside Rose.  
"I'm not sure," Fratley replied. "But something is very wrong in Burmecia. Something about Ebon rules..."  
"Ebon is the new king of Burmecia," Wanderer supplied, slowly walking over to Fratley. "Rose got mad at him, and apparently tried to speak her mind. This is what she got. She went to Freya, told her what was happening, then returned to Burmecia. Then she really got walloped and chose to try Alexandria. Then we found her."  
Fratley was so surprised that he didn't even ask how Wanderer knew everything.  
"She'll be all right," Kitski said. "I can give her a few simple potions and she'll be okay in no time. We'll probably be stuck here for the rest of the day though."  
Fratley nodded. "Let's set up camp then."  
Normally Fratley would've been frustrated. He would've been complaining about losing time and not getting to Burmecia in time. But it was his mother that needed care, and it didn't matter anymore to Fratley. If they had to stay in the middle of the wilderness for a week, he would.  
And something within his mind told Fratley that Freya would do the same thing.  
  
------ Bah, school needs to die! Because of it I couldn't update... Grrrr! =( Sorry, I was loaded with a ton of work for the past few weeks, and it's not over. I'll try to update, but I haven't been able to write until tonight! I'm so sorry, and I'm very tried of making excuses! Please bear with me!  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, events, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	26. Chapter Twentysix

Chapter Twenty-six  
The Next Day; Burmecia; Front Gates; Dawn  
  
Home. Freya was finally home.  
Freya and her group slipped silently into the City of Eternal Rain. Snow fell endlessly from the dark sky. Burmecia was covered in a blanket of white snow. Swiftly yet silently Freya padded through the city until she got to her house. She could see a soft light from within it, and she couldn't help but groan. She then slowly opened the door.  
"You're back," a female voice from within the house hissed.  
"Yes, I'm back, and you sound ever so excited," Freya replied, entering the house.  
A turquoise-eyed female Burmecian glared at Freya.  
"You're going to cause trouble!" the Burmecian snapped, rising to her feet. "Coming home when banned, coming to this house! Ebon's going to find you! Get out of here!"  
Freya didn't move. If anything, she kept her feet even more firmly on the ground. Crossing her arms across her chest, Freya stared at the other Burmecian bitterly.  
"If you don't like it, Arana, get out. It's my house. Why don't you go run away to Mike?" Freya snapped.  
Arana's eyes narrowed. She spat in Freya's direction, then shoved by her sister and left the house. Freya only shook her head.  
"Who and what was that?" Amarant asked.  
"That was my sister. The argument was a greeting," Freya told him as she walked further into the house.  
"Freya?"  
Freya turned her head in the direction of the familiar voice. Standing near the stairs was a young Burmecian woman around 20 years old. Her eyes were milky white with blindness. The woman lifted her nose and sniffed the air. She then smiled.  
"It is you," the blind woman said. "Arana kept saying that you weren't going to come back."  
"Arana's an asshole, Anita," Freya replied. "What are you doing here?"  
"Ebon is after me," Anita said. "Arana's hiding me here."  
"Why is he after you?" Freya asked, her mind burning with hatred for Ebon.  
"Take a guess," Anita said.  
"You're blind," Amarant grunted, having entered the room.  
"Exactly," Anita said as she sniffed the air tentatively. "Who are you?"  
"Amarant," Amarant growled. He sat down at the table.  
"You're a human," Anita said. "But there's a demon in here too."  
"Yo," Meander grunted. "Demon hybrid right here."  
"She can't see you," Amarant and Freya said together.  
"Oops. I'm Meander," Meander grunted.  
"And I'm Eiko!" Eiko chirped.  
"Dominic," Dominic said quietly.  
"Fratley's not with you?" Anita asked.  
"Unfortunately, no," Freya said with a frown.  
"What happened to him?" Anita asked.  
"Even I'm not sure," Freya muttered.  
"Where's the food?" Meander asked.  
"Don't ask me. Arana probably put it somewhere else," Freya said quickly.  
Meander shrugged helplessly. "Fine then, where are the beds?"  
"Upstairs," Freya said. Her eyes then narrowed. "But keep away from my room. It's the first room you see."  
Meander rolled his eyes. "Yes, ma'am."  
Meander disappeared upstairs. Anita felt her way to a chair and sat down.  
"So, Freya, what are you going to do?" Anita asked.  
Freya stared at the cold fireplace on the east side of the wall for a while. She didn't really know what she was going to do. Everything was just so wrong, she didn't know what to tackle first.  
"I'm not sure what to do," Freya muttered helplessly. "Everything is wrong."  
"Would it matter if less things were wrong?" Amarant asked.  
"Most likely. Then I could just concentrate on that one problem. But we have Ebon trying to kill Anita, Ebon trying to kill me, and Julius stalking me," Freya listed.  
"You could solve all of those by killing Ebon," Amarant grunted.  
"What am I to do, just go and kill him? I'll be jailed, and I'm not in the mood to be jailed right now. There are many things that I can do, but I'm not in a thinking mood right now. I'll sleep on it," Freya said.  
Amarant seemed about to protest, but then he stopped, and nodded. Freya turned around and headed upstairs. She walked quietly into her room. Both beds were neatly made, making Freya understand that Arana had gotten up an hour ago, and that Anita did not sleep in this room. Freya walked over to the window near her bed and stared out it. The city seemed quiet, with no one outside. It was almost too quiet. Freya sighed softly. Everything was wrong. Even the city's atmosphere was wrong.  
Freya took her pink coat off and threw it idly onto a chair. She placed her hat in the same place. She then lied down on her bed and stared at the ceiling. It was nice to be back home, but something was terribly wrong. It wasn't Ebon. It wasn't the city's atmosphere.  
It was the strange feeling that someone was watching her.  
  
"Seriously, ya don't have to slow down for me."  
Fratley gave Rose a curious look.  
"You're my mother, for God's sake," Fratley replied. "What do you expect me to do?"  
Rose sighed, staring at him. "Burmecia is in serious trouble. We'd be better off to quicken our pace."  
"Look, you're injured, Wanderer has a paralyzed leg, and a storm is coming. I am not quickening my pace, no matter how much I wish too," Fratley said.  
The pace Fratley's group had was rather slow. A storm was slowly making its way in their direction, and therefore the weather was getting harsh. Wanderer didn't seem to do well in such weather, and though he tried to keep his pace quick, he could help but be slower. Landloper was also having trouble coping with the weather. The Great Dane's paws kept sinking in the snow, and since he wasn't made for jumping, the long legged dog couldn't just bound through. The dog was forced to shove his way through. Rose still had a slight limp, and that didn't help with the snow. Progress was awfully slow, but Fratley knew there was nothing he could do. Rose, however, felt otherwise.  
"Look, I think we should be going faster!" Rose protested.  
"I think you should just be quiet," Fratley muttered, walking slowly forward.  
"Maybe we should take a break," Vivi suggested quietly. "The snow is pretty deep, and if I were to use a fire spell to melt it, I'd need time to power it up."  
Fratley seemed to consider this idea. Then, seeing the sense in it, he nodded and called a break.  
  
Two minutes after he called a break, Fratley heard voices in the distance.  
"I'll be right back," Fratley muttered.  
Before anyone could ask, Fratley was already moving. His feet lightly touched the ground, keeping him from sinking into the heavy snow. Soon he could understand what the voices were saying, and he could see two figures in the distance. Fratley knelt down and got himself flat against the snow.  
"She returned? I was wondering where she had gone," growled a figure in black. "So, what are you going to do? Sit about and let me do the work?"  
"Of course not," said a Burmecian Fratley recognized as Ebon. "But I can't just barge in. I have to wait until she shows herself."  
"I can help you with that. That is, if I don't kill her first," the figure in black said.  
"What are you proposing?" Ebon asked.  
A fire spell suddenly appeared in the figure in black's hand.  
"A little fire display," the figure in black said with a harsh chuckle. "I can set the house on fire – The foundation is made of wood, right?"  
"Yes. The supports on the old houses are made of wood. And her house is an old one," Ebon replied.  
"Right, then. I can set a few wooden objects on fire, and the supports. If the fire and smoke don't kill her, the collapsing building can. And if she's lucky enough to live through that, I may be able to kill her with a swift arrow. And if she is really lucky, and makes it through that – Then you can be on the scene, behind me and out of view," the figure in black explained.  
"And if she attacks you, you'll teleport, and she'll nail me instead," Ebon finished, nodding thoughtfully.  
"Exactly. Then you'll have plenty of reasons to arrest her: returning after being banned, attacking the king, danger to the citizens..."  
"Ah, but there's the trail."  
The figure in black's pale lips formed a smirk. "Who says the trail has to be fair? What is she going to have to use for her?"  
"And her friends. What about them?"  
"I'm sure you'll think of something, especially if you have this."  
The figure in black took a scroll from his pocket and handed it to Ebon. Ebon took it carefully and read unseen writing on the ribbon. His dark blue eyes widened with shock.  
"'Stun'? I thought these scrolls were long out of production," Ebon said with surprise.  
"The COL makes its own products," the figure in black said with a harsh chuckle. "We make all kinds of scrolls: stun, weaken, warp, blind, and many others I won't dare tell you."  
"Blind?" Ebon asked, surprised. He then smirked. "Do you think I could have a few of those?"  
"Only if you'll pay for them. I need to make a profit if I'm going to keep the COL alive. Give me 250 Gil each for a Blind scroll, and I'll give you as many as you pay for," the figure in black growled.  
"250? I know you need money, Julius, but that's ridiculous!" Ebon snarled.  
"For a Blind scroll that works for two days, I think it's a fair bargain," Julius snapped.  
Ebon's eyes widened. "Two days? How did you get it to work for that long?"  
"Do you think I'd bother telling you? Stop yapping nonsense and give me the money. You're a king, you ass. You can afford it," Julius snarled.  
Ebon's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. He instead took out a pouch of money. Though Fratley could not count the money amount from the distance he was at, he could tell it was a good amount. Julius took three scrolls of out his pocket and gave them to Ebon.  
"There. What else?" Julius asked.  
"Well, I have a question. Way before this time there was a war, and during this war a devastating spell called Holocaust was used greatly. All mages mastering in that spell were killed to keep it from being used. I was wondering if you possibly—"  
"I'm not going to answer that question," Julius spat. "I gave you enough stuff already. You don't need a spell that can destroy mountains."  
Ebon could only stare in shock. Fratley's heart was pounding. Holocaust? Fratley's memory seemed to remember something about the spell: it was used to destroy an entire city during a war hundreds of years ago. If the COL had this spell, they could destroy the world.  
Fratley leapt to his feet, startled by this news. He realized his mistake too late. Both Julius and Ebon jerked their heads in the direction of the new movement. Ebon's eyes widened with shock, while Julius merely shook his head.  
"A spy," Julius spat. "No bother. You asked to have Holocaust. You may see it."  
Julius took out a scroll. It was red in color, with a black ribbon. Fratley turned around and began to run, but he knew it was too late. Behind him, Julius was shouting ancient words. Fratley continued to run.  
Suddenly Fratley felt the ground rumble beneath him. He heard a massive roar, and suddenly the ground tore apart beneath him. Suddenly a mass explosion of red, hot liquid, rock, and ash slammed through the ground, sending a startled Fratley into the air. The mess singed his fur, and soon engulfed him. The pain was intense, but when Fratley went to scream, the liquid only filled his mouth.  
Darkness came over him, but not before he heard a soothing male voice in his head.  
You'll live.  
  
A huge roar sounded near Rose and the others. When the turned their heads in the direction of the sound, they were shocked to see red, hot liquid, rock, and ash slamming through the ground. The mess was no where near them, and appeared to take up a small area, but it still scared them. Meanwhile, Wanderer's eyes glazed, while his body became motionless. The burning trails that had formed in front of his eyes disappeared.  
"What is that?" Vivi asked nervously.  
"Holocaust," Rose muttered fearfully. "I thought the spell went out of practice."  
Suddenly, before anyone could speak, Fratley's motionless, burnt body appeared nearby Rose. Wanderer's eyes returned to normal while he let out a soft gasp. Rose immediately checked Fratley over. Tears filled her eyes, but she did sigh with relief.  
"Oh my God, he's alive," Rose muttered. "But how?"  
Wanderer said nothing, but he did shift. Rose immediately looked at him while Kitski rushed to Fratley's side.  
"Was it you?" Rose asked.  
Wanderer took a deep breath.  
"I had been monitoring Fratley when he left. You did see the burning trials before my eyes, right?" Wanderer asked. When Rose nodded, he continued. "Well, I had been watching Fratley through them, and though he didn't know it, I had our minds linked. It turns out that Julius had cast the Holocaust spell – His collaboration is making the scrolls. Thankfully, he is making very few, and using them even less, but he choose to use this own, apparently to impress Ebon, who had been at the scene. When Fratley was nailed by the spell, I had to take complete control of him before I could command him to teleport. Thankfully I was able to do it before he died."  
"Oh my God," Rose whispered. "You're the Dreamweaver."  
"I do a lot more than weave dreams, however," Wanderer said. He looked over at Kitski. "What are you doing?"  
Kitski had taken out a pouch. She opened it, ignoring Wanderer's question. Out of the pouch she took a little bit of blue powder. She then threw the stuff over Fratley. Fratley's body sparkled blue, and when the sparkling ended, he was healed of all his wounds. Rose stared with shock. She then reached out and gently placed her hand against Fratley's cheek. The skin was strong, and the fur real. Both skin and fur had been charred off by the spell, but they were now back as if they had never left.  
"Oh my God," Rose whispered.  
"I can heal broken bones in a heartbeat, stop endless bleeding, heal a heart that's been ripped open – as long as I get there on time, that is. The only things I can't do are bring people back from the dead and restore nerves," Kitski said in a non-boasting tone.  
"So you couldn't help me," Wanderer said downheartedly.  
"Unfortunately, no," Kitski said. "But you don't need help anyway, Eroy. You do fine with the paralyzed leg.  
"Well well."  
Everyone turned in the direction of the harsh new voice. Standing a few feet away were Julius and Ebon. Behind them, the land had turned to normal, as if it had never ruptured in a volcanic-like explosion.  
"You," Rose spat at Ebon.  
"Me," Ebon replied.  
In a heartbeat Kitski took out a Phoenix Down and threw it onto Fratley's chest. Fiery wings appeared over him, and soon the Dragon Warrior was stirring.  
"Hurry up, we have to fight," Kitski growled, rising to her feet.  
"Fight? You don't want to fight, cat," Julius growled.  
"I know I have to fight you asses," Kitski snapped, taking out twin blades.  
"You almost killed my son," Rose growled, rising to her feet and taking out twin javelins.  
"You're trying to kill Freya," Fratley said, rising shakily to his feet.  
"And we do all those things with a passion," Julius replied, taking out a sleek black sword. "Fine, fight. Show me your skill – Before you die."  
Wanderer rose slowly to his feet.  
"Paladin of Heaven, give me the wings I need to fly!" Wanderer suddenly shouted.  
A huge roar sounded over Wanderer.  
"You are granted," said a deep, heavenly voice.  
Suddenly a majestic pair of feathered, angel-like wings sprouted from Wanderer's back. They appeared transparent. Wanderer carefully leapt into the air, and gave his new wings a strong flap. Soon he was airborne.  
Fratley took out his spear and leapt in the air. Ebon took out thin yet sharp sword. He rushed toward Rose, but Rose ran out of the way. She slashed at Ebon's side. Ebon managed to dodge most of the attack, and the most Rose did was rip his clothing. Meanwhile, Julius charged for Kitski. Kitski met his rush with surprising strength. The two were soon locked in a struggle. Vivi saw the lock, and he began to prepare a spell. Ebon ran to strike him, but Wanderer suddenly swooped down and kicked Ebon in the chin. Ebon was thrown backward. Rose tried to slash him in the air, but Ebon fell on top of her. Rose then suddenly grabbed him by the waist and threw him behind her. She then rose to her feet.  
A Firaga spell sped from Vivi's hands and straight into Julius' side. Julius let out a startled yelp, while Kitski threw him backwards. She moved to slash his throat open, but she couldn't pierce the skin. Kitski cursed vilely while she ran out of the way of any upcoming attacks from Julius.  
Ebon had recovered by this point and was deflecting a rush from Fratley. The two were locked in a struggle, but when Rose joined, Ebon was overthrown. He was pushed back, then Fratley and Rose both charged forward. Ebon managed to dodge Fratley's attack, but while he was, Rose was slashing him in the thigh with her javelins. She left two bloody cuts.  
Wanderer suddenly swooped downward and kicked Ebon in the head. Ebon fell over, slamming into the ground. Fratley leapt forward and moved to bring his spear down on Ebon's head. Ebon managed to roll out of the way, and Fratley's spear dug into the ground. Fratley tried to pry it out, but the spear was stuck.  
"Julius is gone," Kitski suddenly announced, her voice ringing in the air. "He teleported."  
Ebon cursed under his breath. He tried to run, but Rose tackled him to the ground. The two stared at each other angrily for a few seconds. Ebon then suddenly slammed his fist into Rose's face. Rose retaliated by punching Ebon in return. Ebon grabbed Rose and tossed her off him. He then leapt to his feet and took out a scroll. Rose was rising to her feet while Ebon opened the scroll. Fratley's eyes widened.  
"Rose, don't!" Fratley shouted.  
It was too late. Ebon was shouting ancient words at the same time Rose rushed toward him. Ebon held out his hand, and as he stopped talking, a black haze slammed outward and into Rose's face. Rose screamed with surprise as she fell to the ground. The scroll turned to ash, and Ebon began to run off.  
"Don't chase him," Fratley immediately shouted. "He has blinding scrolls!"  
Hearing this was enough to convince everyone to let Ebon go. Rose, meanwhile, had risen into a sitting position. It was unsure whether her eyes had opened or not, however, because of a black, thick mist that had appeared in front of them. The mist was so thick it looked solid. Rose, meanwhile, was rubbing at her eyes.  
"Damn it, I can't see!" she cried with panic.  
"Rose! Calm down!" Wanderer suddenly shouted, flying over to her.  
"Why are you telling me to calm down? I can't see!" Rose screamed. "I can't see a thing! My eyes hurt! What's going on?"  
"Mamá!" Fratley shouted, rushing over to Rose. "Calm down. It's a curse, that's all!"  
"I can't see! It's not just a curse! It made me God-damn blind!" Rose screamed. She suddenly rose to her feet, only to bump into Fratley and fall over again.  
"Panicking isn't going to help the situation," Kitski said in a calm tone. "And neither is yelling. Calm down. Get away from her."  
Fratley and Wanderer stared at Kitski with confusion. They then moved away from Rose. Rose was tossing her head about frantically, trying to see. She was shaking. Kitski carefully walked over to her. She knelt down beside her, and placed her hand against Rose's nose. Rose stopped tossing her head about and instead stiffed Kitski's hand.  
"Calm down," Kitski said in a calm tone. "It's just an ancient curse. You're not blind, just cursed. In a few days you'll be able to see again."  
"What am I supposed to do until then? What if someone attacks?" Rose asked, still in a panic.  
"No one's going to abandon you. We're all still here," Kitski continued. "We always will be here. Calm down."  
Rose did seem to be calming down.  
"All right, she's approachable. Just don't scream, you'll only end up scaring her," Kitski said, rising to her feet.  
Fratley approached first, kneeling down beside Rose. He allowed her to sniff his hand, and once he knew she recognizes him, Fratley gave Rose a hug.  
"I'm sorry this 'appened," Fratley muttered softly, reverting to his normal accent. "I should've warned ya. But I won' let anythin' 'appen ta ya."  
"Ya tried to warn me," Rose replied when Fratley released her. "I didn't listen."  
"Fine then, I should've warned ya sooner," Fratley said.  
Fratley rose to his feet and walked out of the way. Everyone else approached Rose, allowed her to sniff them, and gave a word of apology and "get well". Soon, everyone was sitting near Rose. Wanderer's wings had disappeared by now.  
"Well, now I really think we should stop for the day," Vivi said.  
"I agree," Fratley said immediately.  
"Let's not slow down for me again. I was the one who was stupid enough to get blind. I'll be fine! You guys will be watching!" Rose said immediately.  
Fratley sighed with disbelief. Wanderer chuckled.  
"Well, what's the order?" Wanderer asked Fratley.  
Fratley looked over at Rose.  
"Are you sure you can travel? If not we—"Fratley began.  
"Positive," Rose said.  
"And if not, I can carry her," Kitski snorted.  
Fratley sighed. "Well, that I guess we'll get moving."  
Everyone rose to his or her feet except for Rose and Fratley. Fratley helped Rose to her feet.  
"Even though we're movin', I'm not lettin' ya out of m' sight. That means ya 'ave ta travel next ta me," Fratley whispered to Rose.  
Rose grinned. "Oh fine, I can deal with that."  
"Ya bette', 'cause I'm not changin' m' mind," Fratley said. He then spoke in a louder tone. "Let's go, everyone!"  
The group resumed walking.  
  
Hidden by the darkness of early morning, Julius hid silently under the table in Freya's house. He knew everyone was asleep. Meander was snoozing on the couch, Dominic and Eiko had apparently taken the master bedroom, Anita had taken the room with a single bed, and Amarant and Freya occupied Freya's room. Julius slowly slipped out from under the table, making sure not to make any noise. He knew that Amarant and Meander both slept lightly, and he knew they both would kill him without a second thought. Therefore, Julius' caution was based on their behavior.  
Julius examined every detail in the kitchen. He noted the wooden supports foolishly exposed. He noted the wooden table and chairs, the wood that was clearly always kept in the fireplace. He then peaked into the family room. Once again he noted the wooden supports, and he noted the flammable furniture, doorway, and door. Julius turned around and padded into the hallway. He noted with satisfaction that the stairs were wooden. He slowly walked up these stairs, making sure not to make them creak. Once on the top, Julius examined the hallway. The wooden supports supported the ceiling. When they fell, so would the ceiling. Julius nodded, then examined the doors. All were clearly wooden, as were the doorframes.  
All the doors were open. Julius didn't enter most of the rooms, however. He knew better. One wrong move and he'd either be meeting an eidolon, command, demon ability, or Dragon Ability. Instead, he peeked briefly into each room. He observed the sleeping positions of the inhabitants. He could immediately tell that Freya was in her normal bed – She appeared to be most at ease. Julius nodded to himself. He took a good look at her room. Using his eyes, he found the most flammable places.  
Julius did enter one room, however. He entered the room Anita slept in. He wasn't worried about her. If she panicked, he'd kill her. If she stayed asleep or woke and kept quiet, Julius would spare her.  
She didn't stir. Julius walked completely around the room. He found the flammable areas. He observed the windows. He even calculated how long you would have to evacuate from the room if the house was on fire, and the window was inaccessible. He then applied this to the other rooms, instead that he added or removed a few minutes.  
Julius was pleased. Everything would go well. Now all he had to do was wait for night to fall.  
  
---------- No comment, folks. Just things are starting to show themselves to get a little nasty ;)  
  
Had lots of reports to do (Around –counts- four to be exact) so updates kind screeched to a stop. It won't happen again, as my teachers are at last lowering the homework amount! Gosh, Level 3 is like college, it seems!  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	27. Chapter Twentyseven

Chapter Twenty-seven  
Next Day; Burmecia; Freya's House; Early Morning  
  
"So, what are you going to do?" Amarant asked Freya.  
Freya looked over at Amarant. She had indeed slept on the problem, like she had said. Her dreams had transported her to predicted futures, and things that she could do. Indeed, her sleep had been so "busy", it hadn't really been fulfilling. She was still rather sleepy, though keeping alert. Meander seemed to be in a similar condition. Amarant seemed perfectly fine, though Freya had an idea that his sleep had not been fitful either. Eiko was not up yet, while Dominic had been sent to do a little investigating. Anita was up, but she was completely silent and had not said a word.  
"I'm thinking of consulting Puck," Freya said slowly. "He may know something, being the way he is."  
"What if Puck is dead?" Amarant asked.  
"Then I suppose I'll get information of some sort either way," Freya muttered grimly.  
Amarant nodded. "Well, perhaps Dominic will find him."  
Freya nodded. "And if not, well..."  
Freya didn't elaborate, for everyone understood.  
  
Ten minutes later, Dominic quietly entered the room. There was a neutral look on his face, but his eyes were glittering with excitement. Freya stared at him silently for a few moments before she spoke.  
"Any luck?" she asked.  
"We found him," Dominic replied happily. "He's alive, that's for sure."  
Freya smiled with relief. "That's good! Do you think I could see him?"  
"He specifically said he wanted to see you," Dominic replied. "He said it in a much ruder way, however."  
"That's Puck for you," Freya said, rising from the chair. She turned to Meander, Dominic, and Anita. "I shouldn't be long."  
"Can I come with you?" Anita asked, rising to her feet.  
"I see nothing wrong with it," Freya said after some thought.  
"Be careful," Amarant grunted.  
"I will be," Freya said. She took a few steps toward the door. She then paused, and turned to Amarant and Meander once more. "Oh, and when Eiko wakes up... Be nice."  
"No promise there," Amarant grunted.  
"Make it one," Freya replied. "I'll be going now."  
With that, Freya turned to Dominic.  
"Lead the way," she said simply.  
Dominic nodded and strode swiftly out of the house. Anita's ears twitched slightly, and she immediately followed Dominic. Freya also left, following Anita, who followed Dominic with no problems. They took many twists and turns that led them to places Freya could barely remember. Then, suddenly, Dominic stopped walking. He stooped down and touched the ground.  
"Open," Dominic whispered.  
Suddenly the floor swung open to reveal that it wasn't the floor after all – it was a secret door. Opening it revealed a stone staircase leading down into darkness. Dominic walked over to the staircase and began to descend. Anita slowly followed him, not wanting to fall. Freya also followed, and soon she found them surrounded by darkness. The place was cold and quiet. Above Freya, the door closed.  
They continued to descend steadily, none of them stumbling despite the eternal darkness. Then, suddenly, Freya saw a soft light. It was flickering, indicating it to be a candle's light. As they descended, the light became larger and larger, until it was bright enough to light the room the way the sun would. They all reached the bottom steps.  
"Puck," Anita shouted as she reached the bottom, her voice echoing through the chamber.  
"Yeah, I hear ya."  
Footsteps echoed throughout the chamber, and soon Freya saw Puck. He had a long scar across his face. Other than that, Freya could see nothing wrong with him. Puck soon stopped walking and regarded his visitors with a cold stare.  
"Nice of you to visit," Puck spat sarcastically at Freya.  
"I'm being stalked. My schedule is busy," Freya replied, walking over. "You look fine."  
"Huh. I'm anything but fine. Lose position as king, nearly get murdered, and suffer this," Puck complained, and as he completed his last sentence, he held up his right hand.  
The index finger on Puck's right hand was missing. Freya stared for a bit, then sighed.  
"Puck, I'm sorry, but everything's madness. Ebon's king, I have been practically on my deathbed for about a week now, Anita's being hunted," Freya replied, sighing. "It's – insane."  
"No kidding, it's insane! Ebon's after me too!" Puck replied. "Come with me. I have a lot to tell you."  
Puck turned around and headed down the corridor. Freya swiftly followed him. Hearing footsteps, Anita headed after the footsteps. Dominic was last to follow. Puck led the group down the dark corridor and into a cozy-seeming room with a large fireplace. They all took a seat on the large, fluffy rug on the floor.  
"I'm sure you all figured out that we have some major problems brewing up here," Puck began in a low tone. "Ebon is king, first off. With him as king, it brings the security women once got down. Now attempts are murder are slowly creeping through. There are very few attempts – and even fewer successful ones – but at this rate we're all dead. Ebon, of course, doesn't care. Meanwhile, Ebon has been doing many things to keep Freya here from being safe here. She's been banned, she's no longer a Dragon Warrior, and Ebon's instructed any who find her to hand her in to authorities. Obviously, he's in on the plot to kill you, Freya. Then, Ebon wants Anita dead and me. Why? We're smart, and we're dangerous to him."  
"It's not because she's blind after all?" Freya asked.  
"No," Puck replied. "It's because Anita and I are working together to spy on Ebon. He knows, and he wants us killed. Unfortunately for Ebon, he doesn't know about this underground chamber built who-knows-when. So we're safe – But you're not, Freya. You're in grave danger. A suspicious figure in black has been spotted various times."  
"Julius," Freya muttered.  
"Exactly," Puck said. "And with Ebon in charge, Julius can wander free."  
"We need to get Ebon out of office," Dominic said.  
"But how?" Freya asked. "I'm not about to kill the king..."  
"Why not?" Puck asked.  
"Because I have enough problems already. I don't need the dungeon to boot," Freya answered.  
Puck sighed with exasperation. "If that's how you're going to work right now, fine. But I'd be on your guard – All the time."  
"I am," Freya growled.  
"Not at night," Puck muttered. "Something bad is brewing. Something ominous. Something is going to happen, and it's going to happen at night. Just please, be careful. Don't let your guard down just because darkness falls. That will only get you killed."  
"How can I be on guard at night when I sleep then?" Freya snapped.  
"Light sleeping," Puck replied. "Come on, Freya. Would you rather be dead?"  
Freya took a deep breath, thinking things over.  
"All right, I'll try," she said.  
"Good. That's all for now. For now, just keep yourself alive. Anita and I will do a bit more spying," Puck said. "Now get out of here."  
Freya and Dominic rose to their feet.  
"I'll stay here," Anita said. "I'll be back later."  
"All right," Freya said. "Be careful, okay?"  
"Same to you," Anita replied.  
Freya nodded. She and Dominic then began to head back to Freya's house.  
"What are you going to do?" Dominic asked.  
"I don't think I can do much," Freya admitted. "Just keep my current level of security. That's it."  
Dominic frowned, but he didn't say anything. The remainder of the walk passed in silence.  
  
"So Ebon is the source of our troubles?" Amarant asked after Freya had relayed the news.  
"Yes," Freya replied.  
"Then why don't you get rid of him?" Meander spat.  
"You already know why," Freya replied.  
"You're going to the dungeon anyway. Might as well spend your time in the dungeon without Julius trying to kill you in there," Meander growled.  
"I think I'd prefer him trying to kill me right now than in the dungeon," Freya retorted.  
"How about never?" Amarant asked.  
"I don't want to spend time in the dungeon, and I don't want Julius after me. What am I supposed to do, attack Julius?" Freya asked.  
"Why not?" Amarant asked.  
"Because he's too powerful, and I'll be dead!" Freya snapped. "Later I may be able to face him. But right now? No."  
"So you're just going to stay tied in a deadly knot?" Amarant asked.  
"Until I'm given time to think, yes," Freya replied. "Now leave me be so that I may find that time."  
Freya rose from the chair she had been sitting in and headed upstairs. She walked into her bedroom and nearly slammed herself into her bed. She thought carefully over the possibilities, but there were too many. She could kill Ebon. She could kill Julius. She could kill both of them. She could run away. She could kill herself. She could bring others into the conflict.  
She could do so many things she couldn't keep track of them all.  
"Well, you are certainly making an attempt at solving this problem maturely."  
"Well, there are so many choices to make, I don't know which one is best," Freya told Amarant as he entered the room. "What would you do? No wait, don't answer that."  
"Why not?" Amarant asked.  
"Because I know the answer. What's Meander's opinion on all this? He's not easy to read," Freya continued.  
"I haven't the slightest idea," Amarant replied. "His moods are changing too quickly."  
"Too quickly?"  
"Haven't you noticed that Meander's moods change quicker than you can jump? These days it's been worse than normal."  
"You mean he always has mood twists?"  
"Always."  
"That's interesting. Where's Eiko?"  
"That I don't know."  
"Did you do something to her?"  
"No. She left on her own."  
Freya looked out the window. "To where, I wonder?"  
"I'm sure she'll be back. Unfortunately." Amarant turned toward the door. "I'll leave you to your 'thinking' now."  
Freya watched him leave with relief. She needed peace and quiet, not only to think, but to keep from going insane. No one was helping her now. They were only driving her nuts.  
Now that it was quiet, Freya felt at peace.  
  
The rest of the day brought silent confusion and pondering for Freya. Eiko came back to the house, but she seemed trouble and refused to speak with anyone. Meander's mood changes became worse and worse until he finally isolated himself. Anita seemed worried when she finally got home in the evening. Dominic seemed confused, and Freya was equally confused. Everyone's behavior was strange.  
When night fell, Freya found herself trying not to sleep. Something was going to happen. Everyone seemed to sense it. She tried to keep herself awake.  
She failed. Slowly, as the night seemed peaceful, Freya fell asleep. Only a few minutes after, Amarant, restless, left the house. A noise in the distance startled him. Suspicious, he swiftly moved to check it out.  
Julius padded quietly into the house. He prepared a fire spell, then mentally commanded it to become resistant to water. The fire became blue. Julius walked up the stairs silently. He then shot the fire spell at one of the wooden beams that supported the walls. While the wood caught fire, he prepared another blue fire spell and shot it at the window frame in Freya's room. He moved swiftly, setting many things a blaze. He then padded over to the stairs. In seconds, he had them on fire as well. Julius then teleported to the main level of the house. There, he set fire to furniture and the front door.  
Julius heard scrambling upstairs, but the scrambling was of shoed feet. Smirking, Julius teleported out of the burning house. He knew that it would take some time before his victim woke up.  
  
It was not the smoke that alerted Amarant to trouble, but rather an odd light in the distance. Amarant had already been walking toward Freya's house, but he broke into a jog to make sure to investigate.  
He couldn't believe what he saw when he got there. It had not been just a small light. It had been a huge fire.  
Freya's house was on fire.  
  
--------- Hello, hello! Not much coming from me... Just things are taking a downward spiral, yes? Heh, another cliffhanger. Mwahahahahahaha!  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	28. Chapter Twentyeight

Chapter Twenty-eight  
Burmecia; Freya's House; Late Night  
  
Pain, heat, and the smell of smoke slowly managed to wake Freya up. At first she was confused. Had she fallen asleep?  
Then she was yelping and leaping out of the bed, slamming into a charred wall. The bed was on fire. Come to think of it, she was on fire too. Freya threw herself onto the floor and rolled.  
The fire on her was soon out, but the fire in Freya's house was just as fierce. Freya rose slowly to her feet, confused. How had she slept through this? Had she been that tired? Why was the fire blue? Where was everyone? What was going on?  
Freya immediately looked over at the window. It would not be wise to go through it; the frame had collapsed over the opening, leaving burning wood over the opening. Eyes wide in an attempt to see through the smoke, Freya looked toward the door. Flames flickered at the doorframe, but it seemed accessible. Freya swiftly walked through.  
She found herself faced with a deadly inferno. The wooden supports keeping the house together were ablaze. All doorways but Freya's were completely on fire. Still, Freya rushed across the hot floor and toward a door. She quickly stopped moving and leapt backward as heat and flames greeted her. Freya turned again, but everywhere there seemed to be flames and only flames...  
Then Freya thought she saw an opening. She rushed forward, only to trip over a burning plank on the floor and fall face-first into a bunch of flames. With a soft, muffled scream, Freya tried to roll out of the flames, only to bump into the wall. She scrambled to her feet and ran blindly forward. She slammed into the wall.  
Focus... Freya told herself.  
Freya slowly spun around. She was no longer in flames. She was a foot away from them, however. A few flames still flickered on her clothing. Freya could smell singed fur. Her eyes stung and were beginning to water. Her tail hurt.  
Freya took a deep breath and leapt over the flames. She soon found herself back where she had started when she had left her room. She sneezed helplessly as she tried to locate the stairs. But she couldn't find them. The flames were too great.  
Freya rushed in the relative direction she felt the stairs would be in, but a snap and a sudden flaming plank slamming into the floor made her screech to a stop. Her body couldn't handle the sudden stop and she fell over. Freya quickly rolled away from the flaming log, dousing the flames on her. She then rose to her feet just as she heard a snap from above. Instinctively Freya looked up.  
A flaming plank slammed into Freya's face. Freya fell to the ground, and threw the plank off her face. She rose to her feet and began to run in a random direction, hoping to find the stairs.  
She found them, but had to stop herself before she fell into the deadly inferno that replaced the wooden stairs. Panicking, Freya backed up, and straight into more fire. With a yelp Freya leapt onto a flaming plank. She ran into a wall.  
Freya wasn't thinking anymore; she couldn't. Pain seared through the left side of her face, and it was too painful to open her left eye. Her tail felt raw and painful. It felt as if most of her fur had been fried away. Her pink jacket, which she had worn to bed because of the cold, was the only thing that had kept her shirt from burning away. Her jacket was nearly destroyed, while the shirt suffered only damage at the sleeves. The pain was too much, the smoke was choking her, and the flames were scaring her.  
Above Freya, something snapped. More planks fell to the ground. Freya stumbled in that direction. She barely had enough time to leap out of the way of the large piece of stone that had once been part of the roof. It slammed straight through the floor. Freya, meanwhile, rolled out of the way of the flames she had leapt into, and fell straight through the hole in the floor. She slammed into the boulder and rolled off it and to the hot ground.  
Freya was now choking. She rose to her feet, staggering. No longer did she think. Now she just acted. Freya leapt onto the stone, then off of it and into the air. She flew straight through the flames and through the hole in the roof. The rain felt refreshing when it finally hit her. Her leap led her over the house and toward the ground. She slammed into the hard ground, rolled a few feet, then laid relatively still, coughing.  
  
Out of all things Amarant had expected to happen, he had not expected Freya to escape through the house through the roof. He had not expected her to escape so late. And he had not expected her to be half-dead.  
The left side of Freya's face was completely burnt away, revealing blackish, burnt muscle. Her jacket was in burnt tatters, while the sleeves of her shirt had been burned off, along with a few patches on her back. Her arms were badly burnt. Various burns covered her back. The tip of her tail had been completely burned away, along with the tips of her ears. Her eyes were watery from the smoke. She laid on the floor, coughing up smoke. Meander had already walked over to her, but there was nothing anyone of them could do for now. Eiko looked extremely worried, but Amarant didn't care about her. Thanks to Dominic, she had escaped. And thanks to Meander, Anita had gotten out. But Amarant hadn't been there to get Freya out.  
"I can't believe I slept through that," Freya choked out between coughs.  
A snap filled the air. Freya rolled out of the way just as an arrow flew toward her. The arrow slammed into the ground. Meander and Amarant's heads jerked in the direction the arrow had come from. Freya, still coughing slightly, also looked in that direction.  
Standing there was Julius. Freya's eyes narrowed angrily as she rose to her feet.  
"You started the fire," she spat.  
"Your point?" Julius asked, reloading his crossbow.  
"Why are you still bothering me?" Freya asked.  
"You're not dead yet," Julius replied curtly, aiming his crossbow at Freya's heart. "If you'll die, you won't have to worry about me."  
The arrow shot at Freya, but she dodged it with ease. The fire had jump-started her. Cursing softly, Julius lowered his crossbow.  
"I am God-damn sick of you," Freya growled, clenching her fists.  
"Freya," Meander said as a way of warning.  
"Too late, she's pissed," Amarant muttered.  
Suddenly Freya rushed toward Julius.  
"Freya do—"Dominic began, but it was too late.  
Julius disappeared into mid-air, revealing Ebon standing behind him. A burst of white energy came from Ebon's hand and slammed into Freya, who could neither brake nor dodge in time. She flew backward and slammed into the ground. She rolled a few feet, then laid still. She did not move, and her eyes were half-closed. Amarant recognized the problem immediately.  
Ebon had stunned her.  
"Freya Crescent, you are under arrest," Ebon said coldly.  
"Holy shit, for what?" Amarant asked, annoyed.  
"Assault, returning when banned, and many other things," Ebon replied coolly. "She will be taken into custody, as will you, and the tailed guy."  
"Why us?" Meander asked.  
"Dangerous," Ebon replied.  
Amarant opened his mouth to protest, thought it over, then shut his mouth. He would've protested, but he knew Freya would have to go. And if Amarant and Meander chose not to go, she'd be killed. Furthermore, Amarant and Meander should both go, so Amarant could watch Freya, and Meander could simply teleport away.  
"Fine," Amarant muttered. "Ten hut?"  
"You'll be escorted by guards," Ebon said with a snort. "Guards, lead them to the castle. The second room."  
A bunch of guards appeared from the shadows, startling all who had gathered. Swiftly Amarant gathered Freya in his arms. He took a quick glance around the area, and soon saw Aireff. The Dragon Warrior did not look happy. The guards began their escort, looking nervous about escorting two large, dangerous men.  
"Will there be a trial?" Amarant asked as he passed by Aireff.  
"Hopefully," Aireff replied in a hiss. "And hopefully it will be a fair one."  
"Doubtful," Meander grunted, more to himself than anyone. "Not at this rate."  
"Complete silence, please," a guard muttered.  
The escort was finished in silence.  
  
Freya despised Ebon, and she truly despised his stun spell. She was awake – She could hear and smell perfectly – but her sight was limited, and she couldn't move at all. It was extremely aggravating, just like her life. She had no break. No chances. Nothing anymore, but a few friends who couldn't really help with the situation.  
When Freya finally had complete control of her body, she found that they were in the castle. Amarant was watching her, and Meander was gone.  
"Where'd Meander go?" Freya asked.  
"I'm not sure," Amarant grunted. "He didn't say."  
Freya sighed and turned her gaze toward the window. Smoke still clogged the rainy skies of Burmecia. She could still see blue flames in the distance. The water-resistant fire was still burning. Her house was still burning. She had almost burned with it.  
"Everything is just plain wrong," Freya muttered. "I don't stand much of a chance at this rate?"  
"You're giving up?" Amarant asked with disgust.  
"I have one last chance," Freya said, avoiding Amarant's question. "The trial. There has to be a trial by Burmecian law, and Dragon Warriors can override the King. Perhaps Aireff – But wait, he's not enough. If only I was still a Dragon Warrior... God! This was all planned."  
"Planned? All this bad luck planned?" Amarant asked.  
"Well, obviously," Freya said, stressed. "Banned from home with hopes that I would be killed while out. Just in case, Dragon Warrior status is removed. That way if I do come home, I can't override the King. Fratley in a coma. No doubt that was a bit of bad luck, but still cuts close. He can't defend me. Rose's leave. She left to warn me, and I drove her away from here. So she can't defend me either. Most of the other Dragon Warriors are dead, Oregon is still missing, and Aireff has trouble getting serious. I'm doomed at this rate."  
"Can Puck do anything?" Amarant asked.  
Freya let out a sharp, sarcastic bark of laughter. "Puck? Doubtful. Don't forget who's ruling right now."  
Amarant snorted, realizing that talking to Freya right now wasn't a smart move. She was replacing pain and sadness with anger for the time being. Freya, indeed, had done so. Feeling frustrated and upset, she turned her gaze to the window and stared at the smoke that was slowly becoming a thick fog in the Burmecian sky.  
  
Fratley's team had chosen to camp out at Gizumaluke's Grotto until Rose showed signs of getting better. For reasons none of them but Kitski could understand, the blind spell was taking longer to heal. Kitski, being her typical antisocial self, refused to say a word. Fratley, not wanting to make his mother's condition any worse, had called a break in the haunting, sad remains of Gizulaluke's home.  
But Fratley was not sleeping. He was standing outside the Grotto, watching with horror and worry as smoke gathered above Burmecia in the distance. His excellent eyesight could see a fire within the city's gates. Fratley shifted nervously. Something was wrong. The fire's location was suspicious.  
"Why don't you just run?"  
Fratley jumped, startled at the voice. His head jerked in the direction of the voice, only to find deep blue cat eyes staring at him. Kitski's clawed hand ran through her black hair as she stared at Fratley with her average cynical expression.  
"You could easily make it," Kitski said, her masculine accent confirming that it was indeed she. "Just run and find her and let everything be all right."  
Fratley bit his lip while he looked back at Burmecia. If only he could run and just get there... But who was he to abandon his friends? He wanted to find Freya and save her, but he didn't want to abandon his friends and mother...  
"I couldn't," Fratley muttered bitterly. "It's too great a distance."  
"Then teleport," Kitski spat irritably. "You have your warp scrolls."  
"Do you want me to leave?" Fratley asked.  
Kitski's cat ears flattened against her head while her eyes narrowed. Fratley stepped back, recognizing signs of anger. He knew he was strong, but he didn't know Kitski's true strength, and he didn't want to risk it.  
"I don't want you to leave, I'm trying to help you! The slow pace is worrying you and making you frustrated! You can't hide it from me! The best thing for you would be to find her and stop trying to be sympathetic with us!" Kitski spat angrily, her teeth being bared with each word.  
Fratley stared at Kitski was shock. His own ears flattened slightly as a feeling of offense flowed through him. His eye narrowed, but when he spoke, his voice was calm.  
"I would love to simply run away and find Freya so I can protect her, love her, keep her safe. But I can't just abandon the people I am traveling with now. What would that prove? That I am selfish? That Freya is dominant in my mind, and high above everyone else? I do not want to be a fool. We are only a few days away from Burmecia. If Rose's condition fades quickly, we will soon be home," Fratley said slowly.  
Fratley turned around to leave, but Kitski's next words flowed to him.  
"Freya is dominant in your mind," Kitski hissed.  
Fratley stopped in his tracks. His eyes narrowed while his fur bristled slightly. He turned slightly at Kitski. The two stared at each other coldly. Neither of them grabbed for weapons. Neither of them shouted. Both of them were calm with experience.  
"Freya is dominant in your mind," Kitski repeated, but she was now speaking in a neutral tone. "And that I understand. The smoke that billows above the city worries you, because you think it comes from a fire threatening Freya. You want to escape to Burmecia and end it – Yet who are you to abandon your other friends who are also in need of your protection? You are stuck in a loop... Yet I can break it for you. Fratley, tomorrow, around midday, watch a spectacle – Watch what happens when a chemist and a White Mage becomes one."  
With each word Fratley had gotten more and more confused. Kitski moved past him, but Fratley grabbed her shoulder and pulled her carefully back.  
"What spectacle?" Fratley asked.  
Kitski turned her gaze onto Fratley. Her peach lips soon formed a smirk.  
"Why, Sir Fratley, I thought you were smarter than this," Kitski said teasingly. "I know what's wrong with your mother. And I'm going to make something to heal her."  
Kitski carefully pulled free of Fratley's grasp. She waltzed away, not looking back. Fratley only watched her leave, stunned by her words. How had she known? How had she known?  
Now was not the time to ask. Now Fratley could only feel relief to know that his mother would be all right – And that they would reach Burmecia more quickly. Suddenly feeling a little more relief than before, Fratley retreated back into the depressing Grotto to try and get some sleep.  
  
---- Not sure I have much to say... Ebon is being a typical ass, Julius is persistent, Freya has major problems and Fratley's stuck in a depressing Grotto. Now that's a bad day.  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	29. Chapter Twentynine

Chapter Twenty-nine  
Burmecia; Burmecian Castle; Noon  
  
"Damn it, I'm hungry," Amarant grumbled angrily. "When is he going to let us out?"  
"He's going to let you go when he brings me to my doom," Freya replied, staring out at the smog in the Burmecian sky. "I hope that smoke clears."  
"Why? It gives your city a nice city look," Amarant said.  
"No, it makes it look disgusting," Freya replied, turning away from the window. She sighed. "I just want to get it over with."  
"Get what over with?"  
"The trial."  
As if hearing her wish, the door to the room Amarant and Freya had been locked in opened. The guard that entered seemed confused to see Meander missing. He looked down at Amarant and Freya, and motioned for them to rise. Amarant and Freya obeyed.  
"Today is the trial," the guard said in a slightly nervous voice, as if he thought Amarant and Freya might attack him at any minute. "Freya shall be escorted to the courtroom, Amarant shall be escorted back to the inn. Please follow me outside."  
Amarant and Freya glanced at each other as the guard left.  
"They trust us?" Freya asked quietly.  
"Must have an eidolon with them," Amarant replied softly.  
The two quietly exited the room, only to find six guards in the hall. Quickly the two stopped moving as the guards cast them warning glances. Apparently some of the guards were getting bolder. Two of the guards headed off. Meanwhile, Amarant leaned casually against the wall while Freya sighed softly. The remaining guards watched them suspiciously, clearly not letting them get out of their site. Amarant wasn't paying attention, however. He was staring at Freya, who had taken a seat on the floor and was staring at the ground.  
No care on her wounds seemed to have taken a very nasty toll already. The left side of her face was black and red, not to mention shiny and clearly painful. Her left eye was only half-opened, being that the eyelid was almost completely fried away and therefore painful to keep all the way open or all the way closed. From what Amarant could see, however, the lens of Freya's left eye had developed a whitish color. If the fire had gotten any worse, she would've gone blind in that eye. No doubt it was hard enough to see anyway. Furthermore Freya's hair was burned severely, leaving it at odd, uneven lengths and with blackish ends. Her once white nails were black, while her hands and arms were near raw just like her face. Her clothes were tattered, and her tail was shorter than usual.  
And to think it's not over yet, Amarant thought grimly. Your life must really suck, Freya.  
And indeed, it felt like it did for Freya. Her face was not only black and raw, but it hurt badly. The vision of her left eye was blurry, while her right eye was fine, making focusing on objects difficult and confusing. Her tail ached from having the tip burned off. Her hands tingled irritably, and it hurt to touch things. Her arms ached as well, and moving them hurt. She felt horrible, as she smelled like smoke and hurt constantly.  
"Excuse me," a guard said as he appeared in the hallway.  
Freya and Amarant looked over at him calmly.  
"The courtroom is ready, as are the escorts. These three will lead you out," The guard said, facing Amarant. "And I will lead you to the courtroom, Freya."  
Freya and Amarant looked at each other. Freya made a desperate attempt to focus right on Amarant, but regardless of her tries Amarant came out half-fuzzy, half-clear. Amarant's eyes held a look of sympathy as he noticed her troubles. Though Freya didn't show it, she was surprised by his look.  
"Don't kill the escorts," Freya muttered softly.  
"Damn," Amarant replied. "Good luck. You'll need it."  
"Unfortunately I don't think it'll help me," Freya replied quietly.  
Freya walked over to her own escort who nodded and motioned for her to follow.  
"I'm sorry about all this," the guard said, staring at the ground. "It's all one big mess."  
"It's all right. It's not your fault," Freya muttered.  
"It sucks being a guard, especially one of the royal guards. Having to follow Ebon's orders... Jeez, I'm sorry," the guard said with a sigh. "Maybe things will go well."  
Freya wished she could believe him, but she knew that such hopes were false. Everything had gone downhill. Freya was stuck in a pit that she couldn't climb out of, and there was no proper help.  
  
Amarant had decided to obey Freya; he wouldn't knock out the guards, no matter how much he wanted to. As they stepped through the gate separating the Royal Grounds from the main city, however, it became clear that someone else thought otherwise. Within a few seconds a blur soared outward, and soon all three escorts were on the ground, unconscious. Meander stood over them, rubbing his hands while observing his handiwork.  
"Freya's going to kill you," Amarant grunted.  
"They're fine," Meander said, observing the guards. "Nothing bad. They'll wake up soon."  
"Then let's get moving. Why didn't you come sooner?" Amarant said, swiftly heading out the gate and toward the main city.  
"Information kept coming in. Movement near Gizumaluke's Grotto has been reported," Meander replied.  
"Does it look like I care?" Amarant growled.  
"You should. People feel that this movement belongs to Fratley," Meander called.  
Amarant stopped dead in his tracks as he looked over at Meander.  
"Fratley is in a coma!" Amarant growled.  
"Who said he couldn't get out of it?" Meander asked.  
Amarant stood still, watching Meander for any signs of doubt. He then sighed.  
"When do you think they'll get here?" Amarant asked.  
"Unfortunately, not until a few days," Meander replied.  
Amarant sighed. "Great. That's just God-damn terrific. Whenever we need Fratley, he's never there."  
"Amen to that. If it weren't for the fact that when he is there, he's helpful, I'd say Freya doesn't deserve him," Meander grunted. "Come on, let's go report to Puck. He may be aggravating, but he's helpful."  
Meander headed off toward the entrance to the secret underground passage. With a snort, and a final glance toward the castle, Amarant began to swiftly follow.  
  
Freya had been in the courtroom before. When a trial was held, all Dragon Warriors had to be present. Freya had gotten to stand in the grand balcony that held the Dragon Warriors. But now that she was the criminal, she got to sit at the very end of the courtroom, in the small balcony that held only a single chair. Ebon was about 25 feet away from her, sitting in a nice, comfortable chair and seeming to try and organize his thoughts. In the far corner of the room, a small group of silent citizens had gathered. They were there to watch, not react.  
Freya sighed softly as she put her arms on the balcony's rail. Putting her head on her arms, she quickly noted that in this trial, there would be no jury. A jury was completely optional, and usually when a jury wasn't present, it meant that the criminal either had a good yet deceiving relationship with the people, or that the criminal wasn't really guilty, but the king wanted them locked up anyway. Usually in the second case, Dragon Warriors swiftly overrode the king's attempts at imprisonment.  
But in Freya's case, only one Dragon Warrior was still around to even question the king. He was staring at the Ebon, his orange and yellow eyes unusually hard with anger. He looked serious rather than insane and carefree. It was Aireff, and Freya could see that he might actually be useful. Regardless, her spirits were still down. One Dragon Warrior couldn't override a king's actions, though he can try to make him change his mind.  
Freya knew that trying to change Ebon's mind was like trying to fly without wings – It was impossible.  
Hours seemed to pass, though Freya knew it was only ten minutes, before suddenly a bell sounded from afar. The trial would begin. Freya watched Ebon quietly as he seemed to prepare himself. He seemed very smug.  
Ha. That's right, try to intimidate me, Freya thought bitterly.  
"Today we are here to witness the trial of Freya Crescent, who has been brought her on many conditions," Ebon said with a powerful voice. Freya only stared at him. "Condition One, returning after being banned."  
Well, Freya could find nothing to argue that one. She had been banned, and you weren't supposed to return. Aireff, however, seemed to have a different idea.  
"Sir, the reason for her being banned are?" Aireff asked.  
Ebon's eyes narrowed. He then sighed.  
"The conditions for the ban are as follow: failure to do her duty as a Dragon Warrior, and not having enough skill for it. These two conditions also fit with this trial," Ebon said in an aggravated voice.  
"I object to conditions," Freya suddenly said clearly, rising onto her feet. "The first condition is not right because I had been kidnapped and therefore unable to perform any duties. The second condition is a lie. I have the skill."  
Ebon looked at Freya with startled surprise. Freya only returned the look with powerful eyes. She could tell that Ebon had not expected her to fight back. Quickly, however, Ebon brought himself back together.  
"If you had the skill, you would not have been kidnapped," Ebon growled.  
"He is immune to physical attacks, and I know no magic," Freya declared.  
"Then you should've had scrolls to carry with you. Dragon Warriors are supposed to be prepared for all situations. You were not. We shall now carry on," Ebon snapped.  
Freya stared at Ebon with shock. Her eyes then narrowed. That wasn't a rule of the Dragon Warriors! It was expected, but it was not required. Still, it was too late to point that out. The next condition was already flowing from Ebon's mouth.  
"Condition Four, since the conditions for the ban are also conditions two and three, is being a danger to the citizens of Burmecia," Ebon said.  
"How so?" Freya spat. "I've done nothing to them!"  
"Each time you are in the city, attacks come. Citizens are getting hurt. You lead our enemies to us," Ebon explained.  
"I do not! The only reason they get attacked is because they are unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time!" Freya growled.  
"If you had stayed out when banned, this wouldn't be a concern. MOVING ON," Ebon shouted the last two words.  
  
"Not moving on," Aireff shouted louder, causing even Ebon to be shocked. "Conditions for the ban are not standard. There is no specific rule that Dragon Warriors must always be prepared. It's expected, but not standard. Furthermore Freya was doing fine with her duties as a Dragon Warrior. It was one incident, Ebon! A single one. Furthermore, how can you say she hasn't been doing her conditions when she helped save Gaia only a year before? Your conditions are lies, Ebon. Therefore, conditions being not standard, conditions are not counted, and ban is lifted."  
  
Everyone stared at Aireff with shock, including Ebon. Freya looked over at Aireff with great relief and shock. Aireff looked over at her in return, and Freya could tell by his face that it wasn't over yet. They still had one condition to prove untrue – It was the hardest one.  
  
"Fine then," Ebon spat. "Conditions one through four are not valid. Condition Five is an assault on the king."  
"I admit that I did nearly assault you. But you were not my target! I was going to attack Julius, when he teleported, and you just happened to be right behind him!" Freya spat.  
"I was making sure the fire wouldn't spread," Ebon growled.  
"Without getting help? By standing right behind the enemy and not bothering to get help to attack him? Your behavior needs explaining, Ebon. I think you're trying to kill me," Freya snapped.  
Freya's words caused Aireff to stiffen, while the citizens began to mutter amongst themselves. Ebon's eyes narrowed while he took in a deep, angry breath. Freya knew she had gotten everyone's attention quickly. Aireff looked over at Freya with a concerned look on his face. Freya returned it with a semi-confident, semi-exhausted look. She wanted to get out of the courtroom, but she wanted to get out of it with success.  
Ebon wasn't going to allow it.  
"You have no supporting evidence to prove I am against you," Ebon snarled.  
"The trial," Freya spat. "That's my evidence, along with the behavior many witnessed."  
"Many witnessed you charging for me," Ebon snapped, stunning Freya.  
"Not necessarily," Aireff called over the mutterings that arose. "Maybe more witnessed you right at the house when it was ablaze. No one witnessed you calling for help. Freya brings up a good fight, Ebon."  
There were nods and mutters of agreement from the nervous group of citizens. Freya looked over at Aireff with uttermost shock and relief. It seemed that he would be useful after all.  
"The blue fire was immune to water," Ebon declared. "That was what I was checking. When a fire is immune to water, there is nothing you can do but let it burn out. It was also too dangerous to send someone after Freya. There is the reason for my actions."  
Aireff lowered her gaze, clearing thinking furiously. Freya also tried to think of something, but in the end, she came out blank. You couldn't get enough dirt to extinguish the fire on her house, so she couldn't bring up that. Clearly Aireff had come up blank as well, because Freya saw his lips move in a silent curse. It had looked like they weren't going to win.  
Now, suddenly, Aireff and Freya both fell silent.  
"The evidence is against you." Ebon continued, clearly pleased with Aireff and Freya's silence. "The Dragon Warrior finds little to support you, as do you. With all evidence against you, you are proven guilty of one condition – a serious one -- faced before you."  
Freya opened her mouth to speak, only to find Ebon wasn't finished.  
"The punishment of this condition is either lifetime in prison or death," Ebon continued.  
Freya felt a lump in her throat and a knot in her stomach. Ebon was being fair with the conditions – that one was right. Why couldn't they have proved that one? It was all too much at that moment. Freya had a funny feeling death was coming for her.  
"You are sentenced to a lifetime in prison, unless more evidence comes to give you death," Ebon said in a powerful voice. "You have three days to give evidence for your cause. Trial ended."  
Ebon turned around and left the room. Aireff slammed his fist into the railing. The citizens filed out of the room, still muttering. Freya stood rooted to her spot, staring ahead at nothing. The trial had passed by so quickly, the end so fast, she could barely believe it.  
But when it came to her, she immediately ran out of the courtroom, leaving Aireff alone.  
  
"You can't be serious!" Amarant declared when he heard Freya's story.  
Amarant, Meander, Eiko, Dominic, Puck, and Anita had gathered in the underground hall. An exhausted and extremely aggravated Freya had told the results of the courtroom. Amarant's outraged cry seemed to be mirrored on everyone's faces.  
"I'm serious," Freya muttered.  
"But he can't do that! He has to give at least two weeks for you to find evidence," Anita exclaimed.  
"Not Ebon," Meander hissed under his breath.  
"This is bullshit," Amarant spat. "But I guess at least we have a good reason to kill this guy."  
Freya stared at the table briefly, then looked up back up at Amarant, who returned the stare.  
"You can't deny it," Amarant grunted, leaning against the wall.  
"All right, all right! I admit, this is just about a good time to get rid of him. I just want to know how you plan to do it," Freya snapped.  
"Gee, I wonder? We just go in and kill him, maybe?" Amarant asked sarcastically.  
"And how do you expect to do that so easily? Amarant, you are forgetting a few details. One, Ebon is king, so he'll be guarded. Despite how much the city probably hates him by now, the guards honestly have no choice to protect them unless, if Ebon isn't killed, they want to be dead next. Two, Ebon is a warrior. He knows how to fight, and I'm sure he will not just sit back and let us kill him. Finally, Ebon is clearly together with the COL, which means if we attack, we're all dead."  
"So you're saying that we should wait?" Amarant spat.  
"We have three days, Amarant!" Freya replied. "We can kill him tomorrow, or the next day! I'm just not in the mood to try and attack him right now."  
Amarant opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it. He sighed angrily and shook his head.  
"All right, fine, we'll wait," Amarant spat.  
"Good for you. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to make an attempt to appear civilized, and sleep in the inn – It's a lot more comfortable than sleeping underground anyway. Good bye," Freya said.  
Freya rose to her feet and left the room quietly. Amarant watched her leave, then rose.  
"I don't care what any of you or Freya says," Amarant growled. "I'm following her, because something is not right with this situation."  
He then left without another word.  
  
Amarant couldn't have been more right. Things couldn't have been more wrong with the situation.  
The innkeeper had been kind enough to give Freya permission to spend the night at the inn. A night was all Freya needed. She fell asleep quickly, not noticing Amarant. She knew that when night came, things would become insane. And indeed, they did. For soon, a crash woke Freya up. She leapt out of bed, eyes still adjusting to eternal darkness.  
"Surrender," Ebon's cold voice spat. "We're taking you with us."  
Freya watched him coldly. Two guards came from behind Ebon. Freya could see the ropes now that her eyes were adjusted. She could see Ebon's look of triumph. But she could also see Amarant's dark eyes glittering in the moonlight. He was watching, waiting.  
The two guards approached, and that was when Freya suddenly kicked outward. She nailed one guard in the chest, and he fell. Amarant rushed forward and punched Ebon. Ebon leapt backward with surprising dexterity and took two scrolls out of his pocket. Freya was too busy struggling with a guard, who didn't seem surprised by her sudden attack, to notice. It was, after all, normal for prisoners to go rather insane when they were supposed to be taken away.  
Freya heard someone muttering ancient words under their breath. She leapt away from the guard and to her feet, just in time to see Ebon hold up a scroll. A black haze, though hard to see in the dark, whizzed from the now charred scroll and slammed into Freya's face. She silently fell the ground, face a contorted mess of crazy pain. She heard Amarant knock someone over.  
Freya rose to her feet and opened her eyes, only to find she saw darkness. She couldn't see anything. Ebon had blinded her. Strangely calm, Freya took a deep breath and listened. She heard a rush of air, and punched for it. She hit furred flesh and someone fell. Amarant only watched with surprise as Freya still nailed a guard despite being blind. It took him a few seconds, however, to realize that Ebon was muttering ancient words again.  
Amarant turned to Ebon just as the black haze left the scroll. This time, Amarant was hit. Freya heard him hit the ground while she kicked a guard in the stomach. She then heard Amarant curse, and figured he must've been blinded as well.  
It was about the most unfair battle Freya had ever been in. Regardless, Freya rushed forward in a tackle. She slammed into Ebon (she knew it was him by the thick clothing), and felt him back up. She then felt a fist slam into her face. She fell backwards and into someone – another guard. She kicked herself upward, whipped around, and punched the guard in the stomach. She then heard someone attack Ebon from behind.  
It was a crazy mess, but Freya could hear someone leave the room. Thinking it was a retreat, Freya punched at a guard. Her fist was grabbed, and she was flipped to the ground before she could react. Freya almost yelped as her arm was twisted.  
Amarant, meanwhile, had backed against a wall and was searching for anti-curse herbs. He needed them at that point; he could tell that the guards were finally overpowering Freya, judging by the constant "thuds" he heard. He heard no clangs from the guards' armor.  
Indeed, Freya was losing. She did, however, manage to rise and kick outward. She nailed both guards with a foot to the chest, and they both fell with a crash. Freya backed up, not knowing she was heading toward the door leading out of the room. She had no clue Ebon was behind her.  
Amarant finally found the herbs and ate them. The haze in front of his eyes disappeared, but he couldn't find Freya.  
That was when he heard a strange sound – a sound of something moving within the air. Then there was a blinding flash that sent Amarant into the wall, though the energy had not been attacking him. He steadied himself, then looked to where the flash had come from. He stared with surprise.  
Freya was lying on the ground, appearing unharmed (or at least not recently harmed), yet something was still wrong. Her eyes were closed, and her body still. For a panicked second, Amarant thought she was dead, but then he saw her chest move slightly. She was unconscious, but Amarant was at a loss at what could've done it. A blinding flash of light couldn't knock out a blind person, right?  
Amarant looked up, and saw Ebon with his hand spread out, a yellow haze of energy gathering in his hand. Amarant stood still stupidly, blinking from the bright light. He then figured it out quickly. A spell! What type of spell, Amarant didn't know, but it was a spell.  
"You damn cheater," Amarant spat angrily.  
Amarant wanted to go after Ebon, but the guards were already at them. He drew his claws and slashed on in the chest, making streaks across the metal. The sound made both guards screech to a temporary stop, their ears too sensitive for the loud noise. Amarant took this opportunity to slash the throat of one guard and to knock over the other.  
Since she's unconscious, I can kill them now, Amarant thought grimly. I'll leave one alive, though.  
The living guard rose to his feet and charged for Amarant. Amarant blocked the charge. He then shoved the guard back. The guard slammed into the wall. Right at the same time, Amarant felt a rush of air, and he heard the distinct sound.  
He couldn't react in time. The yellow energy ball slammed into Amarant and sent him toppling to the ground. He was unconscious before he hit the ground.  
  
Ebon looked down at Amarant, who was unconscious, yet unharmed. He then couldn't help but chuckle softly as he powered up another yellow haze for fun. He'd forgotten about that Dragon ability... Most of the Dragon Warriors had. A harmless spell, specifically used to knock out for 48 hours or more, depending on the strength of the spell. Allowing the yellow haze to vanish, Ebon looked over at the guards. One was dead, while the other was alive and scared. Ebon looked over at Freya. She had not moved.  
"Take her to the dungeon and lock her up," Ebon growled at the guard before leaving.  
The guard wasted no time obeying.  
  
---- Rewrote the chapter because Robshi pointed out a few avoidable problems (thanks Robshi!) Okay, so now everything makes a little more sense.  
  
I'm in the mood to update, but my computer's being screwy, so don't expect updates from other stories yet (I haven't even started the other chapter of Let Fear Propel You Forward yet)  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	30. Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty  
Gizumaluke's Grotto; Early Morning  
  
Fratley had been keeping an eye on the weather, and on Rose's condition. Rose, indeed, had been quickly cured of the blindness curse. But Rose's recovery was taking much longer than expected. Her eyes didn't seem to want to accept the fact that she could see again. Kitski was doing what she could as quickly as she could, but some things just couldn't be rushed.  
Thankfully, Rose was showing the best improvement that morning. Fratley hadn't gotten sleep in days, mainly because nightmares haunted his sleep. Nightmares that Freya was dead, or being tortured, or something else that made no sense yet he dreamt of anyway... No sleep had become better than the nightmares. And therefore, when Fratley heard a mysterious, naturally created roar outside the Grotto, he was the first to frown. Something was wrong, and things were wrong enough.  
Fratley rose quietly to his feet and walked out of the small chamber they had chosen to rest in. He walked through the rocky, blue-stoned walls. He walked through a cracked door that had once been gorgeously decorated with serpents – It was nothing now. He stepped through the doorway and into the final chamber. It seemed dark and gloomy, with the great basin that once held Gizumaluke now holding bloodstained waters. The waterfall that had once fallen from near the ceiling of the chamber had long stopped falling.  
Fratley walked straight through the death-haunted room and over to the cracked yet standing door at the end of the hallway. It let outside, and when Fratley put his hands against it to push it open, it felt unusually cold. With a deep breath, Fratley pushed against the heavy door, and it reluctantly opened.  
Fratley was met with a rush of cold air. Fratley could smell snow on the air. He padded outside swiftly, sensing something very wrong. He looked in Burmecia's direction, and his mouth nearly fell open with shock and horror.  
Within two days, a massive storm had developed within the mountains and moved forward. It was now falling over Burmecia, but Fratley could see that its path led straight toward the Grotto. Fratley groaned.  
"Oh no," he muttered. "Not this too."  
Immediately Fratley moved to go back into the Grotto, only to find Vivi standing in the doorway. Vivi's oval, yellow eyes were on the storm, watching it with no emotion present. He turned his gaze on Fratley.  
"That's a big storm," he said with worry. "What if it comes this way?"  
Fratley swallowed hoarsely, trying to rid himself of the lump in his throat. He looked down at Vivi, who lifted his gloved hands and shifted his pointed, slouched hat upon his head nervously.  
"We'll be stuck in the Grotto," Fratley replied. "And we'll be unable to move out yet again."  
"We should set out, then," Kitski announced, making herself seen as she walked toward Vivi and Fratley. "We can't be stuck here. There's no way to get food and water. If we're stuck in a storm in the middle of the wilderness, the snow can be our water, and the monsters our food."  
"What about shelter?" Fratley asked.  
"We'll figure that out when we get there. Everyone is awake, Fratley. We should move out and make as much progress as possible before that storm comes... And it's moving quickly."  
Fratley nodded slightly, understanding. He could see others coming, most likely Rose, Wanderer, Landloper, and Cleo. Vivi watched everyone approach with worry. He clearly did not like the idea that they were going to walk straight into a massive storm.  
"Are you sure we shouldn't stay here?" Vivi asked nervously.  
"Positive. We don't want to be stuck here," Kitski said.  
"I don't want to be stuck here," Rose snapped, rubbing at her right eye irritably. They were a lighter purple than usual, and Fratley had a saddening feeling that her eyesight had left considerably. "It's too damn depressing."  
"You feeling all right?" Fratley asked.  
"Eyes hurt, that's all. I think I need fresh air," Rose replied, looking at Fratley sternly. "I want to move out. Will we?"  
Fratley looked at the group he was with. He focused on Cleo.  
"What do you think?" he asked.  
"That storm move fast. It from mountains. As it move, it decrease in power. By the time it reach us, it won't be strong. It last for two days at most, but leave lots of snow. Progress slow, but we no be stuck from storm," Cleo announced, watching the storm with star-shaped yellow eyes. "We reach Burmecia soon if we travel now."  
"How soon?" Fratley asked as Rose tossed him his pack.  
"Four days at most," Cleo replied.  
Fratley sighed. Four days seemed like an eternity, but it was better than nothing.  
"Let's go," Fratley announced.  
The large group slowly moved out of the Grotto, and not a single person looked back.  
  
It smelled of blood, decay, and sadness. The air was thick and stuffy. The ground was hard and cold. And outside, Freya could hear winds whipping through the city. She opened her eyes, only to be met with darkness. It was not, however, from the worn-off blind scroll. It was very simply the light-deprived room. With a soft groan, Freya rose into a sitting position, and quickly heard the clinking of rusty chains clinking together. Freya looked down at the chains quietly. They were old metal, and probably hadn't been replaced in years. They were rusty and smelled horrible. Come to think of it, the whole place smelled. "Damn it," Freya muttered in a hoarse, water-deprived voice.  
Freya quickly found the only window in the entire dungeon – It was high up, and covered in bars. It was also on the other side of the dungeon. Freya looked down at the chains, then tried to find where they were connected to the wall. She couldn't see where they were, so she assumed they weren't. Cautiously, Freya began to walk toward the window, where she could see dirty water coming from it. The chains managed to hold, and she was able to get a rather distasteful yet still refreshing drink. From there, Freya sat down next to the window. She was once again feeling groggy. She looked around her new home wearily.  
The dungeon. This was what it was like, and Freya now knew why some prisoners went insane when they were here. And Freya knew she would never associate any place with a prison again.  
  
Things were bad. Then again, bad was an understatement. Freya was missing, Amarant had not woken up, Fratley had not returned, and Meander was stuck hiding underground with Puck.  
"Relax," Puck said, watching Meander. "Freya's fine, I'm sure of it. We would've heard if she was dead."  
"But I'm sure she's in similar condition to Amarant, maybe worse," Meander growled, looking over at Puck. "If only Amarant would wake up, I'd be able to ask him."  
Puck shrugged helplessly. "For now, there's nothing we can do, except hope Amarant wakes up. When he does, we can ask him a question or two. For now, we're stuck."  
"And we're especially stuck here, with that storm brewing," Dominic added, entering the room.  
"Storm?" Puck asked, looking over at Dominic.  
"You bet. There's a massive storm brewing above us. It's heading straight out for the Grotto. No doubt it'll hinder any travelers," Dominic explained, sitting down near Puck.  
"Damn it!" Meander snapped, punching the stone wall. "That means Fratley will be even later than normal." At this point he groaned. "Shit, that hurt."  
"You punched a wall, you ass," Puck replied.  
"Out of frustration," Meander grunted. He looked over at Dominic. "Where's Eiko?"  
"I'm not sure," Dominic replied, shrugging. "I think she headed off to spy or something."  
"Why didn't you stay with her," Meander asked.  
"I didn't see her leave," Dominic replied.  
"Oh shit," Meander spat, staring at the ground. "This is proving to be one hell of a situation."  
  
Indeed, Eiko had escaped. Mass snowstorms didn't bother her much. She wanted to find Freya. She knew she couldn't rescue her, though she desperately wanted to try. But she wanted to at least find her.  
Eiko slipped through the empty streets, fighting through the mass storm. She headed toward the castle looming in the distance, thinking that it was the most likely place to find a prison. She was swift on her feet, though she kept tripping since the snow was piling rather high. Regardless, she wouldn't give in.  
Soon, however, it was too difficult. Eiko fell into the snow and stared up at the sky. Snow came down endlessly. It fell in huge flakes. Eiko muttered angrily under her breath. She was getting no where all too quickly, and she hated to get no where.  
A chirp startled her. She tried to leap to her feet, only to find that she fell to the ground with a plump. She looked around, and soon spotted a chocobo padding toward her. Eiko gasped.  
"Duchess? How did you get here?" Eiko asked as Dominic's chocobo padded over to her. "Dominic called you, didn't he? He must know I'm out here. Oh well. Come on, Duchess, let's go the castle, okay?"  
Eiko made an attempt to get onto Duchess's back, but it failed miserably, and she ended up on her own back in the snow. Duchess lowered herself to the ground, making it easier for Eiko to mount. Soon, the chocobo padded steadily through the snow, brown eyes wide and looking around constantly. Eiko looked around constantly as well, trying to find an exact route to the castle. It was failing. The snow was too great. She had an odd feeling that they were going in circles.  
Suddenly Duchess screamed in alarm. Eiko looked around and soon spotted a figure dressed in blank. Her green eyes narrowed as she recognized Julius. She took out her trusted Angel's Flute, a weapon she would never let out of her sight.  
"Get back!" Eiko shouted angrily. "I'll kill you!"  
  
Julius chuckled. "How so?  
  
"What are you doing here?" Eiko asked angrily. "You're here to kill Freya, aren't you? You meanie! I'll make sure you—"  
"I was hoping to get to that bitch, yes, but problems are arising. You won't get far either," Julius interrupted, looking toward the castle (or at least where it should've been, for the snow was blocking out everything). "Ebon is treading on dangerous ground. He doesn't know whom he's messing with. None of you do. Summoner, go back to your friends and tell them this: I'm not happy. And someone is going to die as a result."  
With that, Julius vanished. Eiko sighed, angry and confused. She turned Duchess around and had her head toward the underground entrance. She found Dominic waiting for her there.  
"Where did you go?" he asked with worry as he opened the secret door.  
"I was going to see Freya, but I found Julius instead," Eiko said. "He says he's angry, and that Ebon doesn't know what he's messing with. He says that someone's going to die."  
"Oh no," Dominic muttered. "Come on. No matter how much Puck says we can't move, we have to tell them this!"  
Eiko nodded in agreement. Dominic, Eiko, and Duchess then rushed underground. When they told Meander and Puck the news, however, they got the same answer Meander had gotten.  
"We can only wait."  
  
------------- Er.... Crappy chapter? Yeah, that describes it. Anyway, so Fratley's on the move (FINALLY!), Freya's in a (or is it an?) hopeless situation, and no one can do anything about it because they aren't exactly sure where she is!  
  
I will probably upload the next chapter extremely quickly, as this one is so short it can barely count as its own O_o I wanted a cliff-hanger... Well, I got one at a price...  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	31. Chapter Thirtyone

Chapter Thirty-one  
Four Days Later; Burmecia  
  
The storm made its way through the country, leaving around five feet of snow wherever it went. It made it to the mountains, where it gained strength and headed off to Lindblum, as was normal of the storms. Its progress slowed Fratley's progress down, but within two days he and his party moved again, until they had finally reached the gates of Burmecia. The two guards looked down at Fratley and his party curiously. They then opened the gates, seeing something in Fratley's blue eye that made them decide that questioning him would be a bad move.  
The streets of the city where covered with a mass blanket of snow, yet that didn't stop Fratley from being able to run toward the castle, leaving the others behind. He had work to do... And something told him he knew exactly where Freya was. Something had happened while he was gone, and he knew the first place to check for her.  
Fratley ran through the city, climbed up the stairs leading toward the castle, and soon reached the castle doors. Two guards stopped him.  
"What is your business?" one guard asked, watching Fratley with curiosity.  
"I need to get inside," Fratley said, taking a deep breath to try and keep himself from going completely insane. "My business is my own."  
The two guards exchanged glances, then looked at Fratley. Fratley's hand hovered over his spear. Noting that, the two guards chose to move out of his way. Fratley entered the castle quickly, and by luck, Ebon was not in the throne room. Fratley padded in the direction of a large wooden door. He shoved it open, and found himself in a stone hallway. At the end of it were two more guards. Fratley could see the glint of metal – the key to the prison – hanging from the coat of one guard. Fratley walked over, and as expected the two guards blocked his progress to the prison.  
"No one is allowed to pass," one guard said.  
"Please leave," said the other guard.  
Fratley looked between the two guards. He stared into the green eyes of the one with the key.  
"I would like the key to the chains," Fratley demanded.  
"You must think we're nuts," the guard with the key replied. "I can't give you that, nor let you through. Orders are orders."  
"Calm down, Tor. We may have something here," the guard without the key said. He looked over at Fratley, who looked just about ready to kill something. "What brings you here, Fratley?"  
"To free the prisoner," Fratley replied.  
"You know who the prisoner is?" Tor asked with surprise, quickly relaxing. "Man, we don't. Doyle and I here just know not to leave our posts."  
Fratley quickly relaxed, understanding.  
"Well, it's Freya," Fratley said.  
"So that's why no one spotted her around the city," Tor said with acknowledgement. "Most of the city is suspicious and pissed."  
"Particularly the ones who got to witness the trial," Doyle said with agreement. He then looked over at Fratley. "So you're here to get her out?"  
"Yes," Fratley said, getting rather sick of talking.  
"Guess we have no reason not to let you, then," Tor said, taking the key from his side and tossing it to Fratley. "We'll stay here... Keep you covered."  
Fratley caught the key and smiled, "Thank you."  
Fratley shoved the door open and quickly closed it behind him. He quickly spotted Freya and frowned. She was leaning against the wall, staring at the ground. Half her face was covered in infected burns. Her hair was extremely dirty, and the ends were black and uneven. Her clothes were tattered and dirty. Her hands and upper arms were covered in infected burns, as were her feet and the tip of her tail. Her ears, which were missing tips, twitched when the door opened, but she didn't move.  
"Freya," Fratley muttered, tears filling his eyes quickly.  
Freya's head lifted upward in a start, her eyes widening slightly. Slowly, almost as if she was afraid it wouldn't be true, she looked in the direction of the door. She was quick, however, to notice Fratley standing there, as if debating if it was safe to approach. "Fratley?" Freya muttered under her breath, seeming shocked. Fratley quickly rushed for to Freya. Fratley swiftly unlocked the chains, which Freya quickly pushed off her arms. She watched the chains fall from her arms. She felt the tears forming in her eyes as she looked up at Fratley. "How?" she began in a tear-choked voice. "I don't know," Fratley quickly replied, shaking his head. Tears were forming in his own eyes. "All right then," Freya sighed. She shook her head, finding she couldn't question this crazy happening of events any further. She instead threw herself into Fratley, wrapping her arms around him in a massive hug. She buried her face into his chest as she made a desperate, and in the end failed, attempt not to cry. Fratley wrapped his arms around her, as he kept his own tears from falling. He was happy Freya was alive, but he was angry about her condition, and what had happened to know. He knew who did it. He knew that it was two people.  
And when he finally found them, Ebon and Julius would both be dead.  
A few minutes passed before Freya pulled away from Fratley's embrace. She looked around, then looked back at Fratley.  
"Okay... Now how are we getting out of here?" she asked.  
"Well, we could make a scene," Fratley commented. "But I have a better idea."  
Fratley took off his pack and quickly searched through it. He soon took out a yellowish scroll bound by blue silk. Freya blinked with surprise as Fratley tied his pack shut and swung it back over his shoulders.  
"Warp scroll?" Freya asked. "You didn't steal it like Amarant did, did you?"  
Fratley chuckled. "No, I bought it... Damn, why didn't I use it to get here? I have another."  
"Because you didn't think," Freya replied.  
"Good point," Fratley muttered. He gently took Freya arm, opened the Warp scroll, and muttered the words on it. The two soon dematerialized, and their particles remaining of their bodies zoomed into the Underground Chamber. They rematerialized into a homey room complete with a roaring fireplace, and a small yet comfortable-looking bed. Freya looked around, examining the stone walls for familiarity.  
"You're safe," Fratley said as he heard familiar footsteps.  
Soon Freya was sitting on the bed, and only seconds later Meander entered. He shook his head, took a deep breath, and soon was shouting.  
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?" he shouted angrily, seeming very exasperated.  
"Relax, Meander," Fratley said immediately, startling Meander and Freya both. "How did you get here, anyway?"  
Meander stood still, staring at Fratley for a few seconds. He then sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, staring at Fratley intently.  
"I see you gained some of your memory back, at least. I came here with Freya. I'd like to know how she got back here," Meander explained.  
"A little bit of compromising," Fratley replied, holding up the keys in his hand.  
Soon Meander was shoved out of the way by Kitski, startling Freya and making her fur bristle. Kitski sighed and walked over to her in three quick strides.  
"I'm here to help you," she said quickly. "I'm Kitski, a healer."  
Freya looked up at Fratley, who nodded.  
"You can trust her," Fratley said with reassurance, turning his gaze to Kitski.  
"Where is Amarant?" Freya asked softly, looking over at Meander.  
"Elsewhere is all he would say. At this point, I'm not sure I want to know where he is..." Meander said grumpily.  
  
"So, who else did you bring?" Freya asked, looking over at Fratley. "Clearly you brought a crew."  
"Plenty of oddities," Fratley replied. "I've got this healer, Rose, Wanderer, Cleo, and Vivi."  
"Vivi?" Freya asked. "Where is he?"  
"In there," Meander said, motioning to the other room.  
"A-Actually, I'm right here," Vivi suddenly said, appearing from the shadows. "I j-just didn't approach yet..."  
"Hello," Freya made an attempt to say, though it was hard to speak since Kitski was applying burn salve to her face.  
"H-Hello," Vivi said, smiling beneath the shadow that hid his face. He found he had little else to say at that moment.  
Freya didn't have much to say either. She was still nervous from the sudden fly from prison to freedom. She lied down on the bed, causing Kitski to mutter curses due to her sudden movement. Freya closed her eyes, suddenly tired, and despite the group of people and Kitski's treatment, she soon fell asleep.  
  
Freya's recovery was slow. First off, she had to be forced to eat, though she drank on her own. She said she wasn't hungry, that she didn't feel right enough to eat.  
"Maybe it's because you haven't eaten?" Meander had growled.  
That caused Freya to reluctantly begin eating once more. Kitski seemed pleased with this, having noted that Freya was underweight, though how she had figured it out no one really knew. Yet Freya's recovery was also slow simply due to too many burns and not enough healing power. Regen and Cure spells simply did not work efficiently against Freya's burns. The third-degree burns were too fierce for the spells, and the spells were the only ones Kitski seemed to know. Regardless, Kitski's skills seemed to do a good job. After watching Freya's progress over a week, Kitski made announcements on Freya's to-be condition, and as was her nature, was right to the point.  
"First off, you're going to live," Kitski said that morning, sitting on the floor next to Freya's bed. "Second of all, the eyesight in your left eye is not going to get any better, nor worse. You'll have to get used to it. Third, your tail may grow to normal length. Fourth, any fur lost will not grow back."  
"That all?" Freya asked, stress evident in her voice.  
"Yep," Kitski said, looking over at Fratley, who was standing nearby. "Unless you have something to add?"  
"Besides the fact that I've been busy trying to get Freya's life back together? Nothing," Fratley replied.  
"How so?" Freya asked, immediately interested.  
"Lots of stuff," Fratley said. "First off, the tailor is making you some new clothes, since your current ones aren't suitable. Second, the weaponsmith is making you a new weapon. Your health issue is self- explanatory, and well, other things."  
"Thank you," Freya said.  
Fratley smiled. "No need to thank me."  
"How is Amarant, by the way?" Freya suddenly asked.  
"If he can get any grumpier, I'd be impressed," Kitski said with a snort.  
"Well, that's Amarant," Freya replied, rolling her eyes. "But how is he?"  
"He'll be fine," Kitski replied. "Nothing was wrong with him anyway..."  
Freya nodded as she laid her head down against the pillow. Kitski rose to her feet and left the room. Fratley and Freya both watched her leave. The room became quiet as they turned to each other.  
"Everyone is trying to help. Everyone keeps getting hurt," Freya muttered.  
"Not ye fault," Fratley replied, walking over. "If everyone else wants ta help with somethin' dangerous, what can ya do ta stop them?"  
Freya did not seem surprised that Fratley's accent had returned. When she first heard it again a week ago, she had been shocked but happy, thinking the old Fratley was returning. Now, she knew he was returning, if slowly.  
"Perhaps that logic is true enough," Freya said. She then snorted. "If only I could take care of myself."  
"'Ow? We're faced with a man who 'as been killin' Burmecians for who- knows-how-long. Ya need help. Anyone would in this situation."  
"I suppose so," Freya replied. She sighed. "Well, enough of me and my worries. What do you suggest we do?"  
Fratley leaned back, exhaling softly as he stared at the ceiling. "Well, first off, I say we stay 'ere. With Ebon king an' all e's going ta want us all dead. So if we stay 'ere, we're safe."  
"But we can't stay in hiding forever," Freya pointed out.  
"Right, that I know. So once we're all recovered, we can 'ead out into the city, and someone can kill Ebon," Fratley explained.  
"So you want to break the law too," Freya muttered.  
"Do we 'ave much of a choice?" Fratley asked, looking at Freya sternly with his single blue eye. "Even if we could keep Ebon alive, what would it do for us? The only solution ta some o' the problems we 'ave is killing Ebon."  
Freya opened her mouth to speak, but Fratley held up his hand. He smiled.  
"I know what you're thinkin'... And we don' 'ave ta be seen ta kill Ebon, right? I'm sure there are plenty o' ways we can make it look like some freak accident... Like tossin' 'im into the lake."  
Freya shook her head. "Fratley, don't forget that Ebon knows how to swim."  
"Well, scratch that, then. We'll poison 'im instead. But whatever we'll do, 'e'll be gone, and it'll be easier ta concentrate on Julius."  
"Perhaps Julius will not stalk me any more, Fratley, once Ebon is gone. He may be being bribed to attack me."  
Fratley sighed. "That, I feel, is a false 'ope."  
"Why so?"  
"Look at it this way: Julius is the leader o' a mass organization that 'as so much power it can mine its own gems, and make its own scrolls. It sells these scrolls for big prices because they are so powerful. The COL probably makes at least 5000 Gil per year just on scrolls, while they spend less than that on maintenance."  
Freya stared at Fratley with shock as the information slowly sank in. She swallowed hoarsely, then spoke.  
"Julius doesn't need the money, then."  
"Exactly," Fratley said. "Even if Ebon is dead, I don' think Julius will disappear. 'E's after ya for who ya are, and e's persistent for somethin' else."  
"This is getting rather complicated," Freya groaned. "and the situation is complicated enough already."  
"But there are solutions to the problem," Fratley replied. "Not very hopeful ones, but solutions nonetheless. We only 'ave ta wait for ya to recover."  
"Who knows how long that will take." Freya sighed, rubbing the fabric of the sheet on the bed against her fingers. "I'm tired of just laying around."  
Fratley chuckled softly and kissed Freya on the cheek. "Sometimes ya just 'ave ta lie around... You'll be movin' around more in the long run. Trust me."  
Fratley rose to his feet and turned to leave, but Freya had one more comment in store for him.  
"Perhaps you and your coma are a good example?" Freya asked, smirking slightly.  
Fratley stopped walking forward. He turned slightly in Freya's direction, smiled, and winked. Somehow, the wink still held its same loving quality even when Fratley had only one eye.  
"Well, I am movin' around more, right?"  
  
"So, how is she doing?" Meander asked when Fratley entered the main entrance to the underground passage.  
"A mix between stress and depression," Fratley replied, taking a seat on the floor. "She still has a bit of a guilt problem, thinking that this is mainly her cause."  
"Damn it, I wish she would get over that!" Meander growled.  
"Don't blame her, blame Ebon. He's probably the one who got her into this state," Kitski growled.  
"'Likely' is the better term, not 'probably'. Anyhow, she also still doesn't agree much with the idea that we should kill Ebon," Fratley continued  
"Damn it, why? We don't have much of a choice!" Meander snapped.  
"She's afraid of going to jail again, you ass," Kitski spat at Meander.  
"Well said," Fratley told Kitski, nodding. "She also doesn't see what we will gain."  
"Perhaps Julius leaving her alone?" Meander growled.  
"Doubtful. The COL doesn't need the money Ebon offers. There's something else... What, I don't know," Kitski said, shaking her head.  
"Wow, the smart-ass doesn't know something," Meander said in mock awe, drawing a nasty glare from Kitski.  
"Let's not provoke each other right now," Puck announced suddenly. He had been standing quietly near Kitski, but now felt that speaking up seemed best. He turned to Fratley. "As you were saying?"  
"There's one more thing that Freya isn't happy about," Fratley said, relieved to be able to continue speaking. "She's tired of lying around."  
"She doesn't have much of a choice!" Meander snapped. "How does she expect to recover?"  
"She's probably had to just 'lie around' for quite some time now," Kitski snorted. "It gets aggravating to a devoted warrior after a while."  
"Is that it, Fratley?" Puck asked, turning to Fratley.  
"That's it," Fratley said, nodding.  
"Good," Puck said. He then turned to Meander and Kitski, who had been bickering silently. "IF YOU WANT TO ARGUE, YOU CAN GO OUTSIDE, GOD DAMN IT! GO DRAW A CROWD!"  
Meander and Kitski stared at Puck with slight surprise, his sudden bellow cutting them off mid-bicker. Kitski's ears flattened slightly while her blue eyes narrowed. Without another word, she turned around and left through the corridor leading to the main rooms of the underground chamber. Meander's eyes narrowed, while the irises began to turn reddish. With a powerful lash of his bulky tail, he headed outside.  
"I do hope he isn't going to draw a crowd," Fratley muttered.  
"You never know with Meander. I've learned that one quick," Puck muttered. "Well, we've learned all we need. Now it's time to continue with our dull lives. ANITA!"  
Suddenly Anita rushed into the room. She soon slowed down and sniffed the air. She then turned in Puck's relative direction.  
"Now what?" she asked.  
"Off to work," Puck said. "You ready?"  
"As ready as I can be for this job," Anita replied with a slight smile.  
"Then let's go," Puck said, heading for the exit of the underground chamber.  
"Good luck," Fratley told Puck and Anita. Then, without waiting for a response, he headed back toward Freya's chamber.  
  
--- Rewrote THIS chapter too. Er... Yay? LOL, well, everyone's back together again! Now they can concentrate on more important matters... Well, eventually...  
  
I think I caught all the errors in this chapter... But probably not since I skimmed it... Oh well!  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	32. Chapter Thirtytwo

Chapter Thirty-two  
Three Days Later; Burmecia; Castle; Midnight  
  
The night was quiet. No snow fell from the sky; instead, icy rain streaked down to harm anyone in its path. The guards who patrolled the cities were covered head to claw in heavy furs, and they were still shivering regardless. They couldn't wait until their partners came along to take their spot.  
Only a few realized that their partners should've come by that time. None knew that their partners were unconscious in the guard's room in the Castle, each drugged by the misty haze that had temporarily entered the room.  
Julius, covered in a white haze that protected him, leapt from the chandelier in the guard room and landed softly on the ground below. He looked at all the guards to make sure they were unconscious. Indeed, it appeared that his little scroll had done its job; the sleeping spell had come into effect all too well. Satisfied, Julius stepped into the hallway and began a steady walk toward the throne room. He heard movement, which pleased him. With an extra-long stride, he shoved open the wooden door to reveal the throne room, dimly lit by one chandelier; the others were dead.  
Ebon turned in the direction of the door, but he was too late. Soon he was pinned against the wall, Julius watching him with cold, black eyes. Ebon swallowed hoarsely, then put on the best brave face he could manage.  
"What are you doing here?" Ebon asked.  
"Preparing to do something I should've done long ago," Julius spat. "I'm getting very sick of your so-called 'help' and 'performance.'"  
"You're the assass—"Ebon began.  
"And you said you could handle things!" Julius snarled. "I don't think you're much use to me. You do nothing, nothing at all. You're a perfect example of your God-damn race – Greedy pigs who use others to get what they want."  
"If you kill me, you don't get money," Ebon said, hiding his nervousness.  
Julius laughed, the sharp, harsh tone of laughter echoing through out the dark, large chamber. "Haven't you gotten it yet? I'm not an ass. I know you're not going to give me the money. And I don't need it anyway. And I don't need you, or your smelly race. You cheating bastards, lying pigs – You do whatever you can to get what you want! And you made the mistake of trying to defy, to cheat, to trick me. You have made a big mistake, Ebon. The world is better off without you, and that's what I will achieve."  
Suddenly Julius shoved Ebon toward the door, causing the Burmecian to stumble. Ebon turned to stare at Julius, only to find a loaded crossbow to be aimed at his chest.  
"I'm giving you five seconds to get the hell out of here," Julius spat.  
Ebon stared with shock at Julius for three seconds; he then heard Julius softly counting. He turned around and dashed for the door, but it was far too late. A snap filled the air, then Ebon gasped as an arrow slammed into his back. He staggered and fell to the floor. Julius put away his crossbow as he walked toward Ebon. He took out his sword and, without stopping or even pausing in his walk, slashed open the back of Ebon's throat. He put his sword away, then turned to look at Ebon as he reached the door. Ebon tried to say something, but it failed miserably as his last breath came out choked with blood. Julius smirked.  
"I'm sorry, but I don't understand you," Julius whispered quietly.  
With that, Julius left the castle, only to find himself faced with four guards who had decided to head back to the castle. Guards and hybrid stared at each other briefly before the guards took out their weapons. Julius chuckled softly as he fired up a fire spell. One guard rushed for him, sword raised to crack Julius's skull. Julius side-stepped the attack and sent a blazing "wall" of fire across the guards standing. The three guards fell, while the other guard landed on his feet. He stared at his fallen comrades, then back at Julius, only to find another fire spell aimed at him. The guard bit his lip, torn between trying to avenge his fallen comrades, or saving his own life.  
Julius's spell discharged, and the guard quickly chose. He bounced out of the way of the spell and rushed into the castle, only to see Ebon dead. The guard stared with shock, then looked behind himself. Julius was already gone.  
  
It was late noon when Puck came rushing into the eating room of the Underground Chamber. Freya looked up from the bread she had been eating, while Fratley looked over at Puck with confusion.  
"Ebon's dead," Puck announced.  
Everyone on the room – Freya, Amarant, Fratley, Meander, Kitski, Vivi, Eiko, Dominic, and Cleo – slowly took in this new piece of information. Freya slowly turned her glance to Fratley, who glanced at her, then at Puck. Amarant sighed and shook his head with disbelief. Freya looked over at him briefly, only to find his face expressionless. Meander's tail lashed while his fangs became visible. Kitski's eyes rolled as she leaned against the wall, seeming very unsurprised. Cleo looked around nervously, star-shaped yellow eyes for once not holding good cheer. Eiko looked nervous and enraged at the same time. Dominic sighed softly and chose to stare at the ground. Freya turned her gaze back to Puck.  
"How?" she asked.  
"Clearly during the middle of the night he was murdered," Puck said. "Arrow in the back and cut to the back of the throat. Very nasty, but certainly painful, and he deserved that."  
"Julius," Freya muttered. She looked over at Fratley. "You had the right notion."  
"I knew this would happen," Kitski suddenly blurted out.  
"How so? And why didn't you say anything?" Freya asked, immediately turning to face the cat Demi.  
"Having lived on Eoroqu for most of my life, Julius and his COL are no big news for me. And why didn't I say a word? You didn't ask," Kitski said nonchalantly.  
"I guess I should've expected as much," Freya said in reply to Kitski's last sentence. "Julius had warned of something like this!" Eiko blurted out. "He had said someone was going to pay!" "Who would've guessed it'd be Ebon?" Freya wondered out loud. She then looked to Meander. "Well, there goes that plan."  
"What plan?" Meander asked.  
"Don't be stupid. Clearly killing Ebon wouldn't have helped our situation since Julius just killed him himself," Freya replied with slight agitation.  
"How do you know Julius killed him?" Meander asked, seeming frustrated himself.  
"Who else do we know who can shoot arrows and cut people's throats open?" Freya asked.  
"Wanderer?" Meander guessed.  
"I wouldn't kill a king unless for my life."  
Everyone whirled around to see Wanderer limp steadily into the room. He leaned against his walking stick and stared at everyone with russet eyes.  
"Ebon is dead, indeed. Julius killed him, yes. For not only was Ebon killed, but so were three guards that clearly assaulted him after he left the castle. The guards who were supposed to go on duty were put to sleep using sleeping mist. One guard who had been with the other three had managed to survive it all. He was right at the scene when Julius killed his comrades; the upset Burmecian figures Julius must've killed Ebon, and he is correct. It seems that Julius had been planning this thing for quite some time," Wanderer explained, startling most of the group.  
Freya took a deep breath. "I would ask how you know all of that, but that's not important."  
"Then you need to get your priorities straight," Kitski muttered.  
Freya chose to ignore Kitski. "It appears that Julius clearly isn't after me for money after all."  
Everyone in the room nodded with disappointed agreement. Freya slowly turned to face Meander, whose fangs were hidden and whose tail was still. He stared at Freya was emotionless black eyes.  
"Meander? Surely you know of something that could make Julius hunt Burmecians? You are, after all, his brother," Freya requested.  
Meander exhaled softly while he slowly rose to his full height. He walked around the room a bit until he finally came to a stop near Amarant. He then slowly turned his gaze to Freya.  
"Yes, I know something," Meander admitted quietly. "I'm sure you've figured out that Julius and I were both an accident... Still not completely sure on what happened, but I do know my father was drunk... Anyway, there were only two of us, the humane gene not wanting to permit anymore. Not wanting to care for more than one 'abomination', my mother quickly chose a favorite—"  
"Where was your father?" Puck interrupted.  
"You think a drunken baboon will stick around to care for his mistakes? He left long before I was born. Anyhow, my mother was quick to pick a favorite – Julius. While I looked more like a demon, I was too good- natured, hating to fight, liking to play, and to smile... Julius liked to fight, and he was just plain mean, to put it short. Therefore Julius got a name, and care – I, on the other hand, was dust.  
"So of course Julius and my mother got along perfectly well and were quite attached. I think the only thing that was attached between Julius and I was his fist to my skull. Anyhow, that's not really important. Around the time we were – seven? No, it was later. Anyway, around the time we were nine or so Eoroqu had suddenly decided not to hide and therefore Burmecians hoping to learn from the Dari and kill things came over. And guess what they killed?  
"Demons. They were there to hunt demons and gain strength from killing them. Clearly raising even one hybrid had weakened my mother considerably. I don't think chasing me around after I bit Julius for punching me helped her either. So in the end, a Burmecian came along and killed my mother. Almost killed Julius too, since he was dumb enough to interfere. Didn't bother with me, mainly because they felt sympathy held better for me since I was so skinny. So yeah, I guess you could say that Julius may want revenge on our mother."  
"That makes sense," Freya muttered, seeming a little stressed about something.  
"Enough sense to explain our situation," Meander grunted bitterly.  
"One question for you," Freya said. "If you don't mind. You said he got a name... Who named you?"  
Meander moved toward the door to leave. Once he reached the door, he looked at Freya with a hard glance.  
"I named myself," Meander declared. "Through the years of stealing, enduring, and fighting, I noticed that I had been changing from an innocent child to a unpredictable hybrid. So I figured Meander would be suitable."  
With that, Meander left the room. Freya watched him leave, then turned to the remaining group of people.  
"Well, we have our reason... I think," Freya said. "But that isn't really important right now... What's important right now if picking a new king. And that's not going to be fun."  
"You could make it easy by just reelecting me," Puck pointed out.  
"I'd love to, but you're too young – And I mean that in a good way, you deserve something better than that – and the people will most likely disapprove. And stop staring at me like that, I'm not in the mood," Freya said, moving her gaze to the wall. "Someone... Anyone come to mind, Fratley?"  
"Him," Fratley said simply, motioning to Wanderer, who immediately looked stunned.  
Freya frowned slightly. "Go on. One word isn't going to suffice."  
"Well, first off, as you've probably noticed very quickly, he is very on top of situations. He appears to know everything without problems," Fratley began, acting as if Wanderer wasn't there. "Second, he's a powerful warrior. I'm not sure what type of warrior he exactly is, but I think he's a Spirit Warrior of some sort. Third, he's very kind and extremely smart. He could bring this whole kingdom back to a good state again."  
"That sounds likely," Freya agreed.  
"I think you'd be best to just put me back as king!" Puck declared loudly, seeming very angry. "I was doing fine running this kingdom and I can continue to—"  
"Puck, sew your mouth shut," Dominic said calmly.  
Before everyone's eyes, Puck's mouth sewed itself shut. Everyone stared with shock as Puck tried to remove the clearly painful stitches, but didn't succeed. Freya turned a very surprised gaze on Dominic.  
"Okay, this is only getting weirder by the second. Dominic, how are you able to make anyone do anything?" she asked.  
Dominic sighed softly, seeming rather nervous about telling. Regardless, he spoke, "I'm the Commander."  
"The Commander? I never heard of such," Freya replied.  
"The Commander is a special Black Mage who, while having extremely weak Black Magic, is able to command a person to do absolutely anything. He can make one freeze, sew their mouth shut, as you observed, and even command a person to die," Wanderer declared. "It runs within an ancient Black Mage family... Dominic, do you—?"  
"I'll continue," Dominic muttered. "My family has been trailed back to the times before the Lindblum Wars. Historians are very interested in my family. Even back then, we were feared because of our commanding abilities. Back then, the entire family had it. Most of them were killed due to fear, but my 10th Generation mother was allowed to live. She passed her traits onto two of her seven children. Despite this, all the children but one were killed. It continued like that, and it still is that way. That's why I'm not on Eoroqu. They want me dead."  
"I'm sorry," Freya muttered, finding that the conversations were getting more depressing by the second. "Well, I suppose now we—"  
Suddenly Anita made her way into the room. She seemed in a panic, and sniffed the air quickly. Seeming to have smelled whom she wanted, she took a deep breath.  
"Freya, I need you. Now," Anita said quickly.  
"Why?" Freya asked, hearing the stress in Anita's voice.  
"It's Arana," Anita said quickly. "And it's bad."  
"What about Arana?" Freya asked as she rose to her feet. "Now what happened?"  
"The COL got her," Anita told Freya. "Come on, now. Stop asking questions!"  
Freya didn't have any more questions to ask. She immediately followed Anita out of the room. They swiftly walked out of the underground chamber, Anita moving swiftly despite her blindness. Outside, the streets were covered in snow, yet Burmecians clogged the streets. Anita and Freya soon left the alley and joined these Burmecians. Most of them parted to allow Anita and Freya through. Soon, the two arrived on a huge crowd of Burmecians that were muttering nervously. Freya shoved her way through them.  
There, lying in the snow on her side, was Arana. A massive gash was in her thigh, and a slash had cut open her right eye. Her right arm, the arm she fought was, was at an odd angle and clearly broken. Freya immediately knelt by her.  
"So there you are. During this time, you've been in hiding. I know it," Arana muttered, seeing Freya. Her voice was very calm, and didn't hold its normal bitterness. "This morning the king was killed. Just a while ago I was attacked."  
"The COL," Freya spat. "So they targeted you?"  
"Don't forget," Arana muttered. "I was engaged. I was just the perfect victim."  
"Stop talking. How do you expect to live through this if you're going to spend all your strength talking?" Freya asked, seeming worried.  
"Who says I want to live through it?" Arana asked.  
"I want you to! That enough for you?" Freya spat.  
Suddenly, Freya found herself one her back, three feet away from Arana. Confused, she rose to her feet, only to be very surprised to see Kitski kneeling down beside Arana. The Demi had moved so quickly, Freya couldn't react. Clearing, the healer was stronger than she looked.  
Freya watched as Kitski opened up her pouch and took out a small sack. Freya's eyes narrowed slightly in confusion as Kitski opened the pouch. From inside it, she took a bluish powder. Kitski rose to her feet, staring down at Arana.  
"I don't want you to heal me," Arana spat bitterly.  
"Sorry, but I don't grant wishes," Kitski replied with equal bitterness.  
Kitski tossed the powder over Arana. The powder landed on Arana, causing her body to glow bluish. Freya stared with complete shock. When the glow cleared, all of Arana's wounds were healed, except for her arm, which was still clearly broken, and her eye, which was still cut open. Kitski nodded, seeming pleased with the results as she put away the pouch. Freya rose to her feet.  
"How did you do that?" Freya asked, clearly confused.  
"Special powder I've developed over the course of two years," Kitski said, moving her hand over Arana. White balls of light fell onto Arana, who fell into a slumber within two seconds. Freya blinked with surprise while Kitski continued, "I combined magic, herbs, potions... Whatever I could use. The powder has the ability to seal up to three skin and muscle wounds, but I have yet to develop it to heal broken bones and severed 'organs', so to speak, like her eye. The powder already has enough flaws, like leaving scars."  
"Are you a mage?" Freya asked.  
"I know very little White Magic. Most of the magic for my remedies comes from scrolls," Kitski replied. She noted the Burmecians staring at her with suspicion. "Relax, everyone. I'm a healer, I can help her."  
"She speaks the truth," Freya announced when the Burmecians didn't disperse. "Arana's all right in her hands, eh, paws, eh... Hands?"  
Kitski let out a sharp bark of laughter. "Hands will do."  
Freya nodded as she walked a little closer. "Why couldn't you do similar to these?" Freya lightly touched the scar tissue developing on her face.  
Kitski shook her head while taking a sharp knife out from under her sleeve. "Unfortunately I have yet to perfect a burn healer. There are few herbs and almost no magic created to get rid of burns. The magic that there is around is full of flaws, and many of the herbs are poisonous... You see, normal Cure spells do a very bad job with burns. They sometimes heal them, they sometimes don't, and sometimes they heal them and leave a big mess. The herbs' poison is what makes them heal burns, making things worse. I have to distill the poison without ruining the herb, perfect the magic, or pay someone to do it... It's a lot of work. The burn remedy I used on you, which is only made to stop the burn from spreading and to reduce swelling and chance of scar tissue, took three years and 150000 Gil to make."  
Freya's eyes widened slightly with shock. She had not noticed that Fratley had come on the scene, and was watching Kitski. Kitski, meanwhile, had swiftly removed Arana's eye and swiftly wrapping bandages around the wound.  
"How many eyes do you Burmecians like to lose? First Fratley's, now hers, and you nearly lost sight in one. What's next, Wanderer?" Kitski asked.  
"The COL apparently likes to blind people," Fratley announced, causing Freya and Kitski to look in his direction with surprise.  
"They're smart," Kitski muttered.  
"Back to the original topic," Freya said. "So you couldn't heal the burns because you have yet to come up with something?"  
"Exactly," Kitski replied, examining Arana's broken arm.  
"And you can't get rid of the scar tissue because?" Freya continued.  
"Scar tissue is the body's response to healing a burn," Kitski said matter-of-factly. "The burns you suffered completely burned away your skin. I can heal something if there is something to put together. When Fratley's stomach got ripped open, I used a potion that pulled the torn stomach wall, muscle, and skin together. It did not regrow anything. With your burns, there was nothing left to put together, so the body had to do work, resulting in the scar tissue. The scar tissue is not considered a problem since it's 'natural', so to speak, so spells won't work either. With an eye, the potion is too sensitive, and bringing the eye together doesn't help restore any sight anyway, so it's best to just remove it."  
"So the scar tissue has to stay," Freya muttered downheartedly.  
"Afraid so," Kitski said. "I can't grow back your skin, and on the topic of growing back, I can't bring fur back over scar tissue. Neither can your body. Not yet in my abilities."  
"You said once that you can only not restore nerves," Fratley pointed out.  
"Everyone lies when they boast," Kitski replied, lifting Arana into her arms. "I can't take care of the broken bone here. You have a hospital?"  
"Yes," Fratley replied before Freya could say anything. "It's somewhere... Down there." Fratley motioned in the direction he had earlier come.  
"Can you teleport me there?" Kitski asked.  
"You're just determined to use all my Warp scrolls, aren't you?" Fratley asked sarcastically.  
"Why not? You can buy more," Kitski spat sarcastically.  
Fratley rolled his eyes and sighed. He took out a Warp scroll and tossed it to Kitski.  
"I think you can teleport on your own," Fratley said.  
"How? My hands are full," Kitski growled.  
"Oh, Great Dragon, help me," Fratley grumbled, snatching the Warp Scroll from the ground. He quickly opened it, unrolled it, and tossed it back to Kitski, who read it in two seconds. She and Arana soon dematerialized and sped off toward the hospital.  
"Impressive way of helping, Fratley," Freya said, smiling painfully.  
"I just wanted her to leave," Fratley replied with a shrug. "Come, let us go..."  
Freya nodded. The two soon headed toward the Underground Chamber to discuss important matters at hand...  
  
---- Rewrote ending (again). Okay, people are starting to get a little confused on Kitski's abilities. Kitski NEVER restored Fratley's eye. As for Ebon's curse... Don't ask me, I'm not too sure on what I had her do myself OO Reality check time! Anyway, I tried to fill in the plotholes from the previous chapter... Kitski's abilities are explained a bit, and basically I tried my best... Anyway, so Ebon is FINALLY out of the picture... By Julius?! For once, he did something good (except kill those guards afterwards)  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	33. Chapter Thirtythree

Chapter Thirty-three  
Next Day; Burmecia; Late Morning  
  
"He's going to attack. There's no reason he shouldn't attack," Freya declared when Amarant asked her, for the fifth time, what she was waiting for.  
"You seem almost eager for him to come," Amarant grunted, leaning against the wall behind him.  
They were in the streets of Burmecia. Freya had decided to take a walk alone to try and clear her thoughts. Amarant had decided to follow to make sure she didn't get killed. The rain was light, for once, and it only succeeded in making the first centimeter of snow slushy. No one walked in the streets; most were home, trying to escape work (and the dangers of working in slushy weather). A good group of people had been called to elect a new king. Fratley was with that group, along with Rose and Aireff. To Freya's anger and distaste, she had not been called.  
"Julius has killed close to two members of my family," Freya said, staring coldly at the sleek, wet street below her. "He killed my father, and he nearly killed my sister."  
"His organization nearly killed your sister," Amarant corrected.  
"Does that make anything any different?" Freya asked, not looking up. "He is the one who owns the organization, sends the assassins out, gives orders..."  
"Okay, I get it, he ultimately got close to nearly causing the premature death of your cynical sister," Amarant spat.  
"I don't care how cynical she is. Arana is still my sister and we are still close!" Freya spat angrily, looking up at Amarant and glaring at him. "I know it doesn't seem that way..."  
"I never had anyone to get close to," Amarant replied calmly.  
"I know," Freya replied quietly. She turned away and looked in the direction of the palace, its half-damaged blue and white structure sticking out in the distance. "Many people don't."  
Amarant lifted his gaze to the sky. He held his hand out and felt the cold raindrops patter steadily against his large hand. He chuckled softly, suddenly finding something very amusing.  
"I think this rain is your problem. It's making you depressed," Amarant muttered.  
"I like it here," Freya replied, beginning to resume a steady walk down the street. She stared at the ground, yet kept her head high enough to at least see where she was heading.  
"Why? You like being depressed?" Amarant asked, following Freya slowly.  
"No!" Freya declared, whipping her head about to stare at Amarant. Her hair whipped about with the movement, sending stray water droplets spattering into the snow. "The rain doesn't depress me! If anything I think it makes me stronger. I grew up with rain. I like the rain... I like what it has. I like this kingdom. I just hate when it looks like this!" Freya gestured to the damage still clearly seen on the stone buildings, the cracks within the streets, and of course, the damaged structure of the palace.  
"You can't do anything about the state of your home until Julius and the COL are no longer concerned with you," Amarant grunted.  
"I know that," Freya muttered. "But it's going to take a lot to get them away from me. This—"Freya lifted her hand to her face and lightly touched the ugly scar tissue on the right half of her face that replaced her white skin. "—Is proof that they won't give up."  
Amarant nodded slightly in agreement. "And they always leave marks."  
"That is very true," Freya agreed downheartedly.  
Indeed, the fire had left devastating remembrances. The sight in Freya's right eye was forever blurry and distorted from the lens being permanently fogged from smoke and fire. The right side of Freya's face was no longer white and lightly fur-covered. Instead, ugly scar tissue – the remains of third-degree burns – covered her face. Though light, the scar tissue was not as light as Freya's fur, and the scars clearly stuck out. It was hard to use that side of her face for anything, whether it be smiling or chewing. It was simply too stiff, and Kitski's exercises to restore movement were extremely painful.  
Freya's hands and arms were in similar condition. Thankfully her fingers had been spared the flames, but her palms bore scar tissue, as did her wrists and the upper side of her lower arms. Scar tissue on the tip of her tail prevented it from growing to normal length again. Her feet had been especially burned from walking on scorched ground. The bottom pads were covered with scar tissue and therefore especially painful. Walking was the only thing that exercised her feet properly, and it was also the main action that made her feet ache. Freya was just able to manage hiding the pain, but she knew for a fact that jumping was out of the question for now.  
Everyone could see what she had suffered, and everyone, even Amarant and Meander, couldn't help but feel sorry for her.  
Freya sighed, slowly coming to a stop. They were at one of the many four-way intersections within the city. At this one, there was no street. There was only dirt; the street had long been cracked, melted, and basically destroyed within the attack. Indeed, many of the streets were in similar condition, and would have to be replaced. It was a small wonder that Freya was depressed by Burmecia's condition.  
But at that moment, there was no time to think about the condition of the city, for both Freya and Amarant heard a distinct snap. Almost immediately Freya got to the ground and rolled out of the way. She rolled to Amarant's feet, mainly so he could help her back onto her own scarred feet. From there, they both watched as a small arrow slammed into the snow and got stuck there.  
Freya's eyes narrowed angrily as she lifted her head. She slowly walked out into the intersection. She looked down the east road, and saw Julius slowly padding in her direction. Freya slowly turned to face him. Amarant, immediately understanding who had arrived, drew his claws. Freya snorted softly.  
"Stop right where you are," she spat suddenly.  
"Why don't you just stay right there and die?" Julius retorted, continuing to walk. He was already reloading his crossbow, slowly.  
"Very simple. I don't want to die," Freya replied. Her eyes were dark with anger, and her fists were beginning to tremble. Amarant took a few steps back.  
"Then you're going to die the painful way," Julius replied.  
Freya shook her head. "I don't think so, honestly. Rather I think that you – are going – to die – very – soon." Freya was beginning to breathe so heavily with anger that pauses appeared in her speech.  
"And what makes you so sure?" Julius asked, lifting his crossbow so the arrow's point aimed at Freya's chest.  
"I just have a very – funny – feeling!" Freya shouted. She then suddenly charged forward, her feet barely touching the ground.  
A snap filled the air, but Freya had been ready. She immediately slid out of the way of the arrow, then surged forward and tackled Julius. Julius fell to the ground from the hit while his crossbow was sent flying into a snowman made by Burmecian children. Freya, meanwhile, stood where she was. She knew she couldn't move at that moment.  
For at that very moment, an unbelievable amount of energy and adrenaline surged through her anger-filled veins. Freya began to shake very slightly as she closed her eyes. The energy was too much for her at that moment, and she felt a blinding power. To Amarant and Julius, she was being covered by a shot of purple light. Long streams of bright energy flowered from the light. Freya could feel strength filling her. The pain in her feet, face, and other parts of her body slowly left, and seemed to float away. Freya's strengths seemed to – and did – triple. Her energy levels skyrocketed.  
Freya had felt this feeling before. Yet each time, it always shocked her, overpowered her. She fell to her knees, hitting the ground hard, yet never feeling it. The light slowly began to leave, yet the energy, the power, and the endless feeling of anger, rage, and strength didn't leave. And when the light finally left, Freya had changed, though not by much. Rather, her entire body was a purple tinge, and her clothes had suddenly evolved into body armor. When she opened her eyes, Freya's vision was slightly purple.  
Amarant and Freya both knew and recognized the feeling all too well, and clearly Julius knew what it was as well, for he spat bitterly at the ground.  
"Oh boy, Julius," Amarant muttered, smirking. "You've gotten her pissed."  
Freya immediately leapt to her feet, yet she leapt straight above the roof of a nearby building instead of to her feet. She soon landed easily. The pain was gone. The depression, weakness, pain, all of it was gone. There was only energy, anger, and power.  
There was only Trance.  
Julius immediately took out his sword. Freya took out her lance, the lance Fratley had given her to borrow for the day. It was Fratley's lance, and it felt strangely wrong to be holding it, with its strong wood and the mysterious jagged edge that could not only be used to pierce, but also to cut. Yet the strange feeling quickly left. Freya knew exactly what to do.  
She leapt straight into the air, soaring above the roofs of the buildings and beyond the city gates. The power she felt led her a countless amount of feet into the air. Freya lifted the lance to the air. She then closed her eyes and called upon the power of Trance.  
The lance in Freya's hands was surrounded in a flash of bright light. Then, the raindrops falling from the sky over the east street near the ruined intersection also began to shine. Then, suddenly, the raindrops became exact duplicates of the lance, except smaller.  
Below Freya, Amarant rushed to the south street. Julius, meanwhile, had not expected the event and was punctured in the shoulder with a lance. Realizing that Trance had magically-enchanted the lances, he took cover in the north street. Amarant took this time to take a Wing Edge and throw it at Julius' throat. Julius just managed to move out of the way of the weapon; the flaming disk instead cut open his already-injured shoulder.  
The rain on the east street returned to normal while Freya, who had spent five minutes in the air, landed neatly on the ground. She spun her lance about, and it began to gain white energy. She then rushed forward, startled Julius, and slammed the charged lance straight into his stomach. The extra energy made the wound larger. Julius staggered back, but was quick to slash at Freya, cutting a deep wound in her thigh. The two warriors backed away from each other. While Julius took out a potion, Amarant threw another Wind Edge. The flaming disk neatly slammed into the potion and shattered it. Cursing, Julius took out another potion, but this time made sure to turn away from Amarant.  
Meanwhile, Freya lifted her lance to the sky and softly muttered ancient words. Dragon spirits surrounded she and Amarant, sending a soft white powder onto them. The minute the powder touched them, their bodies shone a white light, and any wounds they may have sustained began to heal themselves. Due to the silent nature of Reis's Wind, Julius did not notice Freya had used the Dragon ability.  
Having healed his wounds with the potion, Julius still had plenty of fight left in him. Backing up carefully, a fire spell quickly appeared in his hand. He sent it flying straight into Freya's left shoulder, sending the warrior sprawling into the intersection. Quickly Freya bounced to her feet. She looked over at Amarant, and quickly noted that he was taking out a few pieces of Gil. The two made eye contact, and quickly nodded to each other.  
Freya suddenly rolled into the west street while Amarant threw the pieces of Gil toward Julius. The pieces of Gil slammed into Julius' hands, startling him into dropping his sword. Freya darted forward and grabbed the sword before Julius could react. Just as quickly, she tossed the heavy weapon to Amarant, who caught it, then threw it behind him, sending the sword sprawling many feet away from its owner.  
Julius took this opportunity to kick Freya in the stomach, causing her to stagger. She replied by slashing a deep cut in Julius' fist when he tried to punch her again. With a bitter curse, Julius vanished into thin air. He reappeared near his sword, picked up his sword, and then rushed toward Amarant.  
"Look out!" Freya shouted, but she was one second too late.  
Julius' sword slashed across Amarant's chest, sending the warrior a few feet back. Amarant replied by quickly charging his claws his red energy and slashing Julius in the right arm. Julius' shoulders sagged, as his sword seemed too heavy. With a groan, Amarant backed up, took a potion out of his pocket and quickly drank it. The wound in his chest became less serious, and the Regen Reis's Wind had cast continued to do its work.  
At the same time, Julius was clearly getting tired of his own work. He staggered backward, trying to hold onto his sword and get a potion at the same time. When Freya saw his struggles, she dashed forward, charging her spear with white energy as she ran forward. Quickly, however, Julius spied her rush. He put both hands firmly on his sword and held it up in a defense. Freya's lance and his sword met in a clang and a shower of sparks where the two metal blades met.  
With a strangely calm expression, Amarant proceeded to watch the struggle. He seemed to know what would be the end result. And indeed, it was the result. Suddenly, Julius vanished into thin air, sending Freya falling from the suddenly leave of force. She was soon sprawled out in the snow. Three minutes passed, and Julius did not return. Freya's trance, on the other hand, left quickly. The purple light came, startling Freya. With it, it sucked up the extra energy and power. When the purple light had left, Freya felt drained and exhausted. She rose into a sitting position, panting softly.  
"One drawback of Trance," Amarant suddenly announced, his gruff voice filling the air. "You want to sleep for three days after it."  
Freya rose to a standing position, only to nearly stagger and fall to the ground from the pain in her feet. Amarant managed to catch her before she fell face-first. Freya put her spear away, then took a few seconds to steady herself. Once she was steady, Amarant backed away.  
"There's another drawback," he grunted. "You forget about the pain that left."  
"I agree with that," Freya muttered. She sighed angrily, staring at the ground. "God-damn it, he got away! Yet again!"  
"He's always going to get away until we think of a good plan to keep him from getting away," Amarant said calmly. "But that isn't something we can do right now."  
"I need to go to bed," Freya groaned. She looked over at Amarant. "But I'm tried of sleeping underground. It's kind of strange."  
"Where are you going to sleep, the pile of ashes that remains of your house?" Amarant asked, folding his arms across his chest in a typical position.  
Freya winced slightly, painfully reminded of the fact that she had lost everything she had owned, except her life. She shook her head at Amarant, then turned around and began heading back the way they had originally came. Amarant followed quietly. Walking slowly and painfully, Freya took many twists and turns before she came upon a two-story house. It was clearly an old fashioned house due to the stone walls yet the wooden supports. Freya walked over to the old wooden door and carefully opened it.  
"What is this place?" Amarant asked, following Freya.  
They entered a small room that led no where but up. Freya slowly climbed the stairs and soon emerged into a small yet homey kitchen. She headed toward the small hallway off to the side of this kitchen. Amarant looked very confused as he viewed the small wooden table, the old stone counters, and the large fireplace.  
"Where are we?" Amarant asked.  
Freya looked over at Amarant as she reached the door at the end of the hallway. She opened it, revealing another staircase.  
"This is the house of Rose and Aireff. Fratley lives here, too," Freya informed Amarant. "They won't care if I sleep here."  
"Will they care if I do?" Amarant asked.  
"Well, there's a couch," Freya replied with a shrug.  
With that, Freya headed down the staircase. Amarant followed, closing the door behind him. They emerged in a massive room that contained a couch, an old bookshelf, a bed, and little else. Freya walked over to the drab bed with white, dirty sheets and nearly flung herself onto it. The bed creaked, yet stayed standing. Freya stared at the ceiling.  
"You look like a ragdoll flung carelessly into a toy chest," Amarant commented with amusement.  
"Oh shut up," Freya replied, but she moved into a more comfortable position. Amarant, meanwhile, lied down on the couch. "Now I'm sure you look like an ugly rag doll flung into a wall."  
"I'm going to kill you for that later," Amarant spat.  
"50 years later..." Freya muttered quietly, closing her eyes. "Amarant remembers what I said..."  
Amarant immediately grabbed a pillow off the couch and flung it at Freya. It slammed into Freya's face. Without opening her eyes, Freya took the pillow and put it under her head.  
"That was real mature, Amarant," she muttered.  
Amarant chose not to reply, mainly because he wanted Freya to finally go to sleep. Within a few minutes, he got his wish.  
  
Five hours later, Meander looked about the dark city of Burmecia, his black eyes examining the streets for someone, anyone, that was familiar. He knew where Freya was – she had retired to Fratley's, according to Eiko. But he didn't know where Dominic and Vivi had gone.  
Snorting, Meander gave his head a quick shake, sending water droplets flying. He grumbled bitterly, realizing he needed to cut his hair. The graying, black hair was beginning to become a little too long... And aggravating.  
Suddenly Meander heard a noise. Meander immediately looked out into the streets, only to smile grimly. Vivi had returned; but where was Dominic? Meander knew he'd probably find out.  
"Where's Dominic?" Meander asked, his rough voice penetrating the peaceful silence.  
"He's with Wanderer," Vivi said nervously, clearly not fond of Meander's current attitude.  
"The new King?" Meander asked, eyebrows raised.  
"Y-Yes," Vivi replied.  
"Figures," Meander snorted, looking behind him. The entrance to the underground chamber was hidden, just like it should be. Meander didn't understand why he felt so paranoid.  
"Fratley's going to tell Freya," Vivi said quickly.  
"Like he's supposed to," Meander grunted.  
"What are you guys doing? Shouldn't you be talking inside?" Eiko suddenly said, appearing before the two.  
Meander groaned. "We're waiting for Dominic."  
"He won't be back for a while." The new voice belonged to Kitski, who padded over from the direction Vivi had come.  
"What a crew," Meander snorted.  
"Oh, and you don't add to the excitement?" Kitski spat.  
Vivi looked out into the street, clearly seeming as worried as Meander was paranoid. The little mage walked out into the street, looking around nervously. Something seemed eerily wrong.  
He couldn't have been more correct. Suddenly, a burst of fire erupted from nearby alley. Meander's eyes widened as he watched. Then, his eyes only widened further when, suddenly, a yellow blur shoved Vivi out of the way of the flames. There was a panicked, pained cry, and then a yellow bird stumbled to the ground.  
Kitski immediately rushed over to the chocobo while Vivi took out his staff. Duchess kwehed weakly, trying to get to her clawed feet. Vivi approached the alley, seeing a dark figure within it.  
Suddenly, a small flicker of fire came from within the alley. The growing Firaga spell soon lit up its owner: Julius. Vivi held out his staff, watching Julius with a strange calm. The staff – and Vivi's hands – began to glow a blue tinge.  
The Firaga spell launched toward Vivi, but never reached the mage. Suddenly a splash of water surged from Vivi's staff and met the Firaga spell in mid-air. Smoke issued from the extinguished spell. Vivi then spun his staff about and sent an explosion of electricity from the staff toward Julius. Julius vanished into mid-air, and didn't reappear. Meander cursed vilely.  
"Damn it, why does he have to be so smart?" Meander growled.  
"He knew about Vivi," Kitski said, rubbing salve on Duchess's burns. "He knew Vivi's potential. He was trying to get rid of him to get rid of Freya easier."  
Meander cursed again, then followed it up with an angry bellow, "Gee, Julius, why don't you just blow up the place?!"  
"Don't give him any ideas," Kitski spat angrily.  
"What's going on here?"  
Time seemed to stop as everyone became stiff from the new voice. Vivi, Kitski, Meander, and Eiko all exchanged glances. Immediately, Eiko dashed to the underground chamber and opened it. Kitski surprised everyone by lifting Duchess into her arms. The group them rushed down into the underground chamber and closed the door quickly.  
A Burmecian guard padded down the street, looking around with confusion. He had heard the voices; where had everyone gone? Confused, the guard walked over to the snow where Vivi had stood seconds before. He could see footsteps everywhere in the snow. Some came from boots, some from bare, clawed feet. Muttering, the guard followed the footsteps straight to a dead end. The guard knelt down beside the ground where the footsteps disappeared. He felt the ground, and soon felt indentations; was there a door? The guard felt for a latch, but found none. His brow furrowed with confusion as he rose back to his feet.  
"Weird," the guard muttered. Deciding the new king would probably be interested, the guard turned around and left the alley.  
  
"We're in a pretty sad state, running from guards," Meander muttered.  
"Ah well. If it saves us from questioning, I'm in for it," Kitski said, placing Duchess on the ground. The chocobo kwehed with worry.  
"Don't worry, you're safe," Vivi said with encouragement, walking over to the injured chocobo.  
"She sure does appear in the oddest places, though," Eiko said. "That nutty chocobo. I bet 5000 Gil Dominic sent her to check on us."  
"Dominic knows we need checking-on," Kitski said, rolling her eyes.  
"We're a sad rescue squad," Meander said. He smirked and chuckled. "No wonder Freya doesn't want to sleep down here. We're too annoying, and we don't help anyway."  
"I'm not annoying, and I help," Kitski declared. "It's just you, Meander, that ruins everything I do."  
Meander's eyes narrowed. He walked toward the hallway, but before heading toward his room, he looked at Kitski and replied, while baring his fangs, "Shut up."  
  
---- ((Please note that I am not going to touch on the Fratley-teleport subject and the Kitski subject. Why? Simply because they are not major problems in the story, and I find no reason to change my entire story just to fix two unimportant problems. Thank you))  
  
Okay-dokey! I rewrote the ending of this chapter because the first one was just plain stupid. Besides, this ending revives characters in desperate need of showing up, like Eiko and Vivi. Other than that, not much to say... I finally incorporated Trance into this (gasp!), Reis's Wind (more gasp!), and we know who the new king is as well.  
  
Updates will be slow because A) I am ill, B) I am doing a lot of work for my teacher, and C) I haven't had a lot of time to write. Apologies.  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	34. Chapter Thirtyfour

Chapter Thirty-four  
Burmecia; Fratley's House; Hour Past Midnight  
  
Freya wasn't too surprised when she woke up late in the night. Having retired early, it was only expected. And, strangely enough, she wasn't too surprised to find Amarant wake, his dark eyes glittering in the torch light coming from outside. Freya rose into a sitting position, causing Amarant to glance over at her briefly.  
"Do you ever sleep?" Freya asked, breaking the silence.  
"Take a wild guess," Amarant replied, rising into a sitting position.  
"Did Fratley come home?" Freya asked.  
"That's a pretty humorous guess," Amarant teased.  
"Oh, shut up and answer my question," Freya retorted.  
"Which one?"  
"The second one, of course!"  
"Yes, Fratley came home."  
"Probably a long time ago... Well, what'd he say?"  
"Wanderer is the new king."  
"And?"  
"He's going to remove your charges and allow you to become a Dragon Warrior again if you win a one-battle tournament."  
Having not expected such an answer, Freya found she could only sit there, blinking with surprise. Amarant stretched his arms, finding them to be stiff after having stayed in the same position for so long. He then regarded Freya curiously.  
"Well, are you going to respond?" he asked.  
"This is my response," Freya replied.  
"Blinking like an idiot. All right, then," Amarant grunted.  
"Who are you calling an idiot? You blink too!" Freya replied. She then paused. "Well, I think you do, anyway."  
Amarant chuckled. "There's a lot you don't know about me."  
"And 70% of it I don't want to know," Freya replied.  
Above the two, the door to the chamber opened. Then, suddenly, it was closed, and someone leapt straight over the railing and landed in the center of the room. The Burmecian rose to his full height, and Freya quickly recognized him.  
"Fratley, what the hell?" she asked.  
Fratley smiled and shrugged. "I felt like making a dramatic entrance."  
"It was stupid, not exactly dramatic," Amarant grunted.  
"I expect your entrances to be the same," Fratley replied, taking a seat on the floor.  
"What are you here for?" Amarant asked.  
"We need to talk," Fratley said, addressing both Freya and Amarant. "It's very clear to all of us that Julius is not going to leave Freya alone, and it's even clearer that without a plan, he will not stop leaving us alone."  
"So you're going to discuss such in the middle of the night," Freya muttered with doubt.  
"We're awake anyway," Fratley replied.  
"He's got a point there," Amarant commented.  
"Besides, I wasn't thinking we'd get the exact plan out. Just ideas. What would be a bad idea, and what would be a good idea," Fratley continued.  
"Bad idea: Leaving Freya on her own. Good idea: Someone with her at all times," Amarant grunted.  
"Shut up, Amarant," Freya snapped.  
"I'm serious this time. You have way too much pride and if you're on your own then you are going to get yourself killed. We're all learning Julius' tricks pretty quickly, but he always seems to have more. If you're in danger, you won't ask for help," Amarant replied. "Besides, I'm not exactly saying you need bodyguards. Just someone in the vicinity, if not exactly by your side all the time."  
"Should I just abandon my pride for you?" Freya asked, aggravated.  
"I'd love it if you could, but that's a little much to ask," Amarant said with a sudden yawn. "Anyway, would it really kill you to have Fratley or I with you most of the time?"  
"You, yes. Fratley, no," Freya said with a smirk.  
"Liar," Amarant snapped.  
"It's like I'm not even here," Fratley commented, smiling. "Well, I think Amarant has a good idea. But we need more than that. When we actually are able to confront Julius safely—"  
"—Which has a 1/500 chance of happening—"Amarant interrupted.  
"—We need to do something to prevent him from getting away," Fratley continued, ignoring Amarant. "I think that is where Dominic can come in. He's the Commander; I'm sure he can do something. Vivi should definitely be present with those deadly magic skills... Amarant, you can be present for comic relief..."  
Amarant tossed a pillow at Fratley, who caught it and threw it into Amarant's face with a single fluid motion. Freya couldn't help but laugh. Amarant took the pillow and put it back on the couch, figuring he could get back at Fratley later. Fratley, meanwhile, had continued speaking.  
"Meander will definitely be vital with his knowledge and powers. Eiko's summons will be excellent. I think I'd better be there or I'll kill myself..."  
"And then I'll kill myself, and the fight will be pointless," Freya declared.  
"You're all ridiculous," Amarant snapped.  
"Anyway, basically, I think we'll need a lot of people and a lot of cooperation," Fratley concluded.  
"I'll cooperate," Freya announced.  
"I won't," Amarant grunted.  
"Yes, you will," Freya snapped.  
"Damn," Amarant grumbled.  
Fratley chuckled. "I had been hoping to have a casual conversation, but I hadn't expected something this casual."  
"Trust me, Fratley, it's impossible to not be casual with him around," Freya declared, motioning to Amarant.  
"What the hell are you talking about? I'm serious 80% of the time and now you're accusing me of making serious matters casual?" Amarant asked, grabbing a pillow and holding as if to toss it. "One more comment—"  
Suddenly a giant ball of white energy slammed into the couch, sending it onto the floor and Amarant tumbling off it. Fratley couldn't help but laugh, while Freya, who had thrown the energy ball, watched Amarant get up with amusement. Amarant grabbed the remaining pillows and a piece of the couch that had fallen off. He tossed them all at Freya, who hid under the covers of the bed.  
"That's it, now I know you're out to kill me!" Amarant declared.  
"Whatever you say, Amarant," Freya replied, emerging from the covers long enough to throw a pillow at Amarant.  
"Well, if we can bring ourselves back to reality for a few seconds, did I make myself clear? We need to cooperate and—"At this point Freya tossed a pillow at Fratley. Fratley dodged and rolled to his feet.  
"Oh trust me, you're right," Freya told Fratley.  
"Except cooperation may be out of the question," Amarant grunted, putting the couch back onto its feet. He sat on it, then gave his head a shake, trying to get pillow feathers out of his hair.  
"I'm sure we can cooperate. If we really tried," Freya commented, combing her hair with her fingers to make sure feathers weren't stuck in it.  
"Perhaps maturity could be managed also," Fratley said with a chuckle.  
"Eventually," Amarant grunted.  
"It's a boring night," Freya commented, looking out the window.  
"Boring? Shit, you almost started a pillow fight!" Amarant snapped.  
"Well, true," Freya said, lying down. "Maybe we should try to go back to sleep."  
"Great, and give you more energy?" Amarant asked.  
"At least we won't be up in the middle of the night," Freya said. She looked over at Fratley. "Your opinion?" "I'm with it," Fratley said. He seemed about ready to leave, but then stopped, remembering something. "Wanderer is going to be officially elected king tomorrow. Either of you coming?"  
"Sure," Freya said.  
"I guess," Amarant grunted, lying down on the couch.  
"All right, then. It's going to happen pretty early, so I definitely think we should all go to bed," Fratley replied. He gave Freya quick hug. "Good night."  
Fratley headed up the stairs and closed the door. The room fell temporarily silent.  
"I have to sleep on the couch, don't I?" Amarant asked.  
"No. You could sleep on the floor," Freya replied.  
"I was hoping you'd give up the bed," Amarant snorted.  
"Not a chance. If you want a bed, go to the underground chamber," Freya replied, getting into a comfortable position on the bed. "Now shut up."  
Why am I letting you boss me around? Amarant wondered silently.  
By the time Amarant fell asleep forty minutes later, he still hadn't found an answer.  
  
"I don't know," Rose was saying four hours later as she stretched idly near the fireplace in the kitchen. "I just don't like the idea of 'aving a king who can read m' mind."  
"Mother, you don't like the idea of anyone reading your mind," Fratley replied with a smile.  
"Paranoia?" Amarant guessed, leaning against the counter closet to the stairs leading out of the house.  
"No," Freya said, grinning. "Just she's rebellious."  
Rose snorted. She then viewed the large group in the kitchen. The group consisted of herself, Aireff, Fratley, Freya, and Amarant.  
"I don't remember ever 'aving this many people in this house," Rose commented.  
"Maybe never this many adults. But I think if we consider kids too we get pretty close," Aireff commented.  
"Pretty small kitchen to fit five people," Amarant grunted.  
"We're fitting pretty comfortably," Freya replied, sitting at the table.  
"Who says I'm comfortable?" Amarant asked.  
"Who says you're ever comfortable?" Freya retorted.  
"The kitchen seems small. Too small," Rose muttered.  
"Blame him," Fratley and Freya said together, pointing to Amarant.  
"Sure, blame the tall guy," Amarant spat.  
"You're not only tall, you're big," Freya replied.  
"When's that ceremony going to start?" Rose asked Aireff, clearly getting sick of her company.  
"Within the hour," Aireff said good-naturedly.  
"Thank the Great Dragon. You guys are all so damn loud!" Rose declared.  
"Blame her," Amarant said, pointing to Freya, who glared at him in return.  
Aireff laughed. "You're all so humorous. Let's go, before we annoy Rose so much she kills us."  
Everyone soon had filed out of the house. Once in the dark, rainy streets, the group spread out. Freya stared up into the sky, as if trying to figure out the weather in the dark.  
"Trying to blind yourself?" Amarant asked, watching as the rain nearly fell into Freya's eyes.  
"Why not? One eye's pretty close," Freya replied, lowering her head so she could see where she was going.  
"Why do you Burmecians hold everything so early?" Amarant asked, looking around the dark streets.  
"Because we are early risers... Eh, normally," Freya quickly added, seeing Amarant's look.  
"Early compared to what? A slug?" Amarant asked.  
Fratley laughed. "Since when do we know slugs sleep?"  
"Maybe we should be quiet," Freya commented. "We're either going to wake up all of Burmecia, or piss off Rose."  
"Most likely both," Fratley concluded.  
Noting Rose's aggravated expression, Amarant chose not to respond. Freya and Fratley soon followed suit, and the rest of the walk passed in silence – That is, until Freya tripped over an unseen boulder and tumbled to the ground.  
"Ya all right?" Rose asked, quickly walking over.  
"Clumsy in the morning?" Amarant asked, also walking over at a slower pace.  
Fratley helped Freya to her feet, who thanked him, then looked at the boulder with confusion.  
"Where'd that come from?" she asked.  
"Probably construction," Aireff concluded. "Someone clearly forgot to clean it up."  
"And now I nearly broke my leg on it," Freya muttered, lifting her right leg and rubbing irritably at her foot. "Damn scars!"  
"Is the sun rising or something?" Amarant asked. "The sky's suddenly becoming very bright."  
"Look that way," Fratley said, pointing to the east. "If the clouds are low enough, you can see it."  
"Which means the ceremony will start soon," Aireff commented. "Let's go, folks! And don't trip over anything this time."  
The group headed off again, this time at a faster pace. Thankfully, the lightening sky allowed them to dodge any obstacles. Soon, they had arrived at the gate separating the castle from the main part of the city. They swiftly passed through, and headed toward the castle front, where some of the city had already gathered.  
Apparently the ceremony hadn't started yet. Most of the people present were in small groups, chatting as if it were day and not early morning. Freya was quick to spot Dominic, Eiko, and, to her surprise, Dominic's chocobo Duchess. She quickly walked over, followed by Fratley and Amarant.  
"How'd the chocobo get here?" Freya asked.  
"Called it," Dominic said simply, stroking Duchess's head feathers.  
"All right, that makes enough sense," Freya quickly said.  
"This is going to be really dull, isn't it?" Amarant asked.  
"For you, probably," Freya replied, looking toward the castle. "I wonder... Where's Anita? I saw Puck, but not Anita."  
"You expect her to be here?" Fratley asked.  
"Well, of course. She's normally with Puck. They're a duo," Freya said. "I think I'll ask him... PUCK!"  
"Now what do you want?" Puck asked irritably, looking over at Freya. "Can't you see I'm trying to have time to myself?"  
"Oh, hush. Anyway, where's Anita?" Freya asked.  
"Most likely with Wanderer," Puck replied.  
"Why so?" Freya asked.  
"Wanderer's going to allow her to become a spy, so where else would she be?" Puck asked, annoyed.  
"Really? I didn't know that," Freya said.  
Puck sighed. "You're so behind in these times... Hey, looks like the ceremony's finally starting."  
Hearing this, most of the group around Puck snapped to attention. Indeed, a gong had just sounded. Apparently, either it had been repaired, or never destroyed during the attack from Alexandria. Everyone who had gathered – it appeared to be the entire town – quickly walked over to the main yard outside the castle. Amarant, realizing that quite a few Burmecians would have trouble seeing over him, stood in the back. Freya followed him, followed by Fratley.  
"What are you doing here?" Amarant asked.  
"Making sure you won't kill someone," Freya said with a grin.  
"Whatever," Amarant replied, turning his gaze back to the castle door, which had opened.  
Most of the group gathered seemed surprised when Anita stepped out. She stepped with certainty, walking with a steady strut that showed she knew exactly where she was going. She soon came to a stop, and lifted her head. Most of the little children, having not seen her before, seemed a little nervous when they saw her milky-white, sightless eyes. Most of the older Burmecians, however, merely watched with some surprise. Anita sniffed the air briefly, then suddenly began speaking.  
"Welcome, one and all," Anita said. "To a grand ceremony of uttermost importance. Here, on this day, we shall elect a new king – a new king that this time, we are sure will lead us to grandeur."  
The high emphasis on "this time" made a few Burmecians in the crowd, probably the ones present at the time Ebon was elected king, chuckle with amusement. Amarant sighed lightly, turning his gaze to a nearby hedge.  
"I'm bored already," Amarant grunted.  
"Hush," Freya replied.  
"This king is not of Burmecia – No, he came from a legendary – supposedly – continent. The continent of – yes, Eoroqu. I heard someone whisper it," Anita continued, ears twitching as a little kid whispered the word "Eoroqu".  
"Eoroqu?" Fratley muttered, stunned. "My..."  
"Talk about it later," Freya muttered.  
"We're bored, we can't help it," Amarant snorted.  
Freya was beginning to wonder if her two friends – well, Fratley was more than a friend – would ever be quiet. It didn't matter much, however, because Anita had continued, and Freya had a missed a few words when trying to hush Fratley and Amarant.  
"—His skills are said to be unmatched. Supposedly the fame he received in Eoroqu was too much for him – Well, it appears he didn't exactly escape it, did he?" Anita asked, causing more chuckles. She clearly heard that the chuckles were less strained, and indeed, the crowd was beginning to relax. Anita was a lot more relaxing than the previous assistant had been. "All right, then, enough of my jabber. My friends, City of Burmecia, I present you with your new King..."  
At this point the crowd began a polite clap, while Anita moved out of the way. Quickly Wanderer got out of the castle, moving swiftly for one with a paralyzed leg. Beside him was Landloper, as always, and the Great Dane seemed very relaxed, his tail wagging steadily while his ears perked. The crowd seemed a little shocked at the look of this supposed warrior. A cane? A limp? It seemed awfully awkward to them. Freya could also tell that the dog confused many of them.  
"Hello," Wanderer said calmly, quickly coming to a stop. He stood very calmly, looking around at the people he now ruled. Landloper yawned lazily and sat down. He looked around at the people faced before him. "Well, first, I think my name is necessary... I am Wanderer. Nothing more, nothing less. Give my name and I may get trampled by fans, not to mention make a person or two uncomfortable."  
When Wanderer said the last sentence, his gaze flickered to Freya, who gave him a confused look in return.  
Why, Freya thought. Would your name make me uncomfortable?  
"I know that this kingdom has been through various hardships in the past – Hardships that the last king only escalated. This, I assure you, will stop. The mysterious murders rising will end, quickly. Anyone who is helping the murderers or is actually doing the murdering would be best to leave tonight or I will catch you. Do not underestimate me," Wanderer continued, his voice becoming stern. "Rebuilding of the city is going to take hard work but no defense of the city will be sacrificed to achieve such. The city's people are in danger. Defense must not be sacrificed. There will be a main task in the rebuilding that will be absolutely necessary to rebuild. This task will, for now, be the houses. As has been proven in the past, the old wooden supports will not be suitable due to being fire-prone. The old houses must be replaced and rebuilt. Dragon Warrior tournaments will be held in six months – We need warriors, not just a rebuilt city. Also, when the time is right, a mini-tournament will be held to allow Freya Crescent to prove herself worthy of regaining her Dragon Warrior title. And, at long last the end of this speech – To all criminals, of any kind, major or minor. End your crimes – Immediately, and swiftly. I can catch you."  
Wanderer's russet eyes hardened as he stared at the crowd, which stared with shock in return. Amarant looked over at the new king briefly, impressed with his abilities so far. Fratley and Freya both were smiling.  
"That is the end of me," Wanderer said, bowing despite his paralyzed leg. "Now, something you may not be used to – a light feast now, after the ceremony? Free food."  
Wanderer looked at the people and smiled. Realizing he wasn't joking about the feast part, the crowd broke into cheers, clearly having hope in this new king. Amarant clapped out of politeness. Then, within moments, everyone had gathered in the castle to have a clearly delicious-looking meal. The meal was varied, unlike most Burmecian feasts – There appeared to be delicacies from various parts of the world. The Burmecians were clearly enjoying it.  
"One way to bribe people – Offer free, delicious food," Amarant said, watching the Burmecians eat.  
"I agree with that one. It's actually pretty good... Aren't you going to try some?" Freya replied. She had taken some of the food, but had quickly stopped eating when something she had taken gave her a massive stomachache. Even if the other food was good, she didn't want to trust it.  
"No. I don't want to risk the same thing you had," Amarant replied.  
"What, do you think we have the same reactions? We're not even the same species, so it's doubtful. Oh, hello, Fratley!" Freya quickly turned to Fratley as he walked over.  
"Very odd food over there," Fratley commented, examining the flat, wheat-colored, hard cookie in his hand. "Particularly this."  
"Well, it's obviously a cookie," Freya said. "A very flat one, but a cookie."  
"Wonder if it's as stale as it looks," Amarant grunted.  
Fratley shrugged and ate the cookie. It was clearly hard as it took him a bit of work to chew. When he finally finished eating it, he looked over at Amarant and nodded.  
"I think it was," he replied.  
"Have a fun death," Amarant grunted.  
"He's not going to die from eating a hard cookie," Freya replied, sighing. She then looked around. "Looks like things are slowing down... A few people are leaving."  
"I'm out of here, then," Amarant said, quickly leaving.  
"All... Right, then," Freya said, watching him leave with confusion. "I guess that's Amarant for you."  
"Fratley!"  
Freya and Fratley quickly turned in the direction of the cheery voice. Cleo had floated over to them, and she was easily recognized since she was in her normal spiritual form.  
"What is it?" Fratley asked.  
"Wanderer just say that it's time for all to go, including you two!" Cleo chirped.  
"Oh, okay," Fratley said, nodding. Freya also nodded, and the three headed out.  
"So, Cleo, what have you been doing lately? Haven't seen you around," Fratley said as he, Freya, and Cleo headed back toward his house.  
"I doing special work for Wanderer! I spy!" Cleo chirped.  
"He sure likes spies, doesn't he?" Freya asked, shaking her head with disbelief.  
"Handy, I suppose," Fratley said with a shrug. "So, what are you spying on?"  
"COL," Cleo chirped. "Wanderer say I good for stopping attacks. They decrease attack quickly."  
"Interesting," Freya said, seeing Fratley's house in the nearby distance. "Well, Cleo, I think we'll be parting now."  
"Okay! Bye bye!" Cleo chirped before vanishing.  
"She's too hyper," Fratley said, shaking his head.  
"Nice break from Amarant, though," Freya commented.  
Fratley found he could only agree with that.  
  
Many hours later, when darkness had come upon the Realm of Eternal Rain once more, Freya found that she couldn't sleep. It wasn't exactly that she was nervous about something. She just simply couldn't get to sleep. She stared at the dark ceiling, watching the shadows on it form strange figures. She had a funny feeling Amarant was also awake; his breathing patterns didn't appear to be from sleep.  
"Amarant?" Freya began, her voice shattering the quiet.  
"What?" Amarant replied quickly in a grunt.  
"Never mind," Freya replied, rising into a sitting position.  
"What the—?" Amarant began, watching Freya with dark eyes.  
"I was going to ask if you were awake, but it's obvious you are," Freya said in answer to Amarant's unfinished question. She turned her gaze to the massive, still-broken window that allowed the cold air in. "I wonder if Fratley's awake?"  
"Would it make any difference if he was?" Amarant asked.  
"Of course it would," Freya said with a snort, rising from the bed. She shivered slightly, staring at the broken window. "Darn window!"  
"Yelling at it isn't going to make it repair itself. Unless, of course, you're Dominic," Amarant grunted.  
Freya chuckled softly. "That makes sense. I'm going upstairs."  
"Be sure to open the door and go into the kitchen too," Amarant grunted. "You won't get anywhere otherwise."  
"Oh shut up with your sarcastic and literal mind," Freya spat, heading for the stairs.  
Amarant shrugged and resumed staring at the ceiling. Freya quickly headed up the stairs and into the hallway, making sure to close the door behind her. She looked around the dark house, having been in it so many times before. She walked quietly across the hallway and into Fratley's room, only to find him looking out the window. Freya walked over to him, and he looked over at her.  
"You can't sleep either?" Freya asked, staring out the window.  
"It's a strange night. Seems too quiet," Fratley muttered.  
"It's normal, though it seems odd," Freya replied.  
Fratley nodded silently in agreement. Freya sighed softly as she turned from the window and looked around the dark, small room. She turned her gaze to the other bedroom, this one belonging to Rose and Aireff, down the hall.  
"I'm impressed by all everyone is doing for me," Freya muttered.  
"Not again," Fratley muttered.  
Freya chuckled. "Oh no, I'm not going to complain once more. I'm happy and relieved that everyone is still trying to protect me. I just wish... I just wish Julius would finally go down! Each time I even get close to severely injuring him he teleports away... He's not invincible, but he's smart... Too smart."  
Freya sighed with frustration, shaking her head. Fratley walked quietly over to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.  
"We have to get him eventually," Fratley muttered. "He can't hit-and- run forever."  
  
"At this rate, he probably could," Freya replied. "He's been in this murder business for more than twenty years..."  
Fratley nodded. "But even those who have been at it forever normally fall."  
Freya nodded slightly while looking up at Fratley quietly. She found herself staring into Fratley's blue eye. The two stared at each other for a few seconds. Their lips then met in a light, brief kiss.  
The room seemed peaceful to Freya; no longer was the quiet intruding. Freya stared quietly at Fratley, who she could see was smiling softly. Freya found she could only smile lightly in return. She then reached forward and kissed Fratley once more.  
The kiss soon ended and Freya lowered her eyes, staring at the ground before looking at Fratley again. Fratley slowly released her and looked around slowly. Freya could tell something was bothering him. Fratley walked slowly toward the window. Freya slowly followed.  
"Something wrong?" she asked quietly.  
Fratley looked up and over at Freya, and he smiled slightly, "Oh, no, not at all..."  
Freya shook her head slightly, clearly disagreeing with Fratley's statement. Fratley looked out the window, and took a deep breath. He then walked over to an endtable near his bed. Freya thought he picked something up, but she couldn't be sure. Freya watched him with confusion. She began to walk toward Fratley, but Fratley was already walking toward her.  
"The night's pretty, isn't it?" Fratley muttered. "The ice season is annoying, but the nights are pretty... But..."  
Fratley shook his head, and Freya was beginning to become very confused, but curious all the same.  
"That's... Not important. Freya..." Fratley sighed and gave up on whatever was in his mind. He walked over to Freya and revealed what he had picked up.  
Freya blinked with surprise as she stared at the necklace in Fratley's hand. It had a thin yet strong-looking string that was shining lightly in the moonlight. Tied to the end of the wire-like string was an emerald encased in pearl. Freya found it to be quite gorgeous, but she wondered why Fratley had it.  
"Freya... Will you marry me?" Fratley managed to finish.  
Freya's heart skipped a beat. Surprised, she looked up at Fratley to find him staring down at her with love and worry in his eye. He seemed worried... But why? Why was he so concerned about this?  
Then it hit Freya. He thought she would reject? Out of all things she could do, she couldn't reject. Not after she had hoped for this moment for years... Not after Fratley was finally gaining back most of his memory.  
Freya took a deep breath, tears forming in her eyes. She looked up at Fratley and nodded.  
"Yes," she muttered. She then suddenly hugged Fratley, squeezing him so tightly he most likely felt like he was going to burst. "Yes... How could I not...?"  
Fratley didn't hear the last question, or anything else beyond Freya's first answer, for that matter. All his worries had vanished. He felt like he was flying. He didn't notice Freya nearly squeezing him to death, but when she moved to release him, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer.  
Freya didn't notice much herself. If time stopped around her, she would've noticed. All she noticed was Fratley. All he noticed was she.  
  
--- -stares at horrible love scene- Argh... Romance is the worst... Anyway, so Wanderer is the new king, Cleo briefly appeared, Amarant's being normal, and everyone's preparing for Julius' return (whenever it comes) Stay tuned for... Well, you probably know =P  
  
Check out Chapters 12, 13, 14, 28, 31, and 32. They have been edited in some way.  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	35. Chapter Thirtyfive

Chapter Thirty-five  
Next Day; Burmecia; Fratley's House; Early Morning  
  
Amarant stared at the ceiling, a light smirk on his face. Personally, he didn't know why he found last night so funny. Freya left, and then never returned. Amarant could only guess what had resulted. He decided Freya would most likely say; she had an uncanny liking to talk lately.  
  
Amarant rose slowly from the couch, as if rising from the dead. As usual, his sleep had consisted of two hours, yet he felt completely fine. He knew Freya had gotten absolutely no sleep, most likely; he could only imagine how she felt.  
  
Within seconds Amarant had gotten up the stairs. He opened the door to the hallway, closed it in one quick motion, and walked into the kitchen. He found Freya leaning against the wall, watching him with a smirk. Amarant stopped walking and stared at her, trying to figure out what she seemed so happy about.  
  
"Now what?" Amarant asked. "You never returned last night."  
  
"I have my reasons," Freya said, involuntarily turning her gaze to the bedroom.  
  
"Oh?" Amarant said. "It deals with Fratley, I'm not an idiot."  
  
"He proposed to me," Freya said, looking at Amarant. She smiled at his look of slight surprise. "You wanted to know."  
  
"These days keep getting weirder," Amarant grunted.  
  
"What's so weird about it? Well, besides it was the middle of the night?" Freya asked.  
  
"It was a quiet night," Amarant grunted.  
  
"You don't need to remind me," Freya replied. "Something's wrong..."  
  
"What's wrong?" Amarant asked.  
  
"... The quiet. Fratley agreed. Normally you can hear the guards on patrol. You can hear them walking. But there was nothing," Freya explained.  
  
Amarant nodded slightly, silently agreeing that the night was rather odd. "And where is Fratley, speak of the devil?"  
  
"He went to the Underground Chamber to see if Meander or the others noticed or found something," Freya said.  
  
"And when did he leave?"  
  
"An hour ago."  
  
"Oh great."  
  
"Exactly."  
  
Suddenly, as if on cue, the front door opened. Freya and Amarant turned in the direction of the sound. In seconds, Fratley had gotten into the kitchen. He looked from Amarant to Freya, then sighed and shook his head.  
  
"It's wild," Fratley said simply. "Meander, Vivi, and Eiko caught six COL spies last night. Six."  
  
"Six?" Freya declared. "What's Julius up to now?"  
  
"How come none of them were caught before?" Amarant asked.  
  
"Six assassins came with them," Fratley replied.  
  
"And they killed the guards?" Freya asked.  
  
"Not all of them. Some of them they only injured," Fratley explained. "In fact, most of them are alive and going to live."  
  
"Oh Great Dragon," Freya muttered. "This is terrific."  
  
"So Julius is planning something," Amarant grunted, taking a seat at the table. "Take a wild guess at what."  
  
"An invasion?" Freya guessed.  
  
Amarant let out a sharp bark of laughter. "He wouldn't aim that high. He's going after you, Freya. Probably for what he hopes to be a final time."  
  
"What are you all talking so loudly about?" Aireff suddenly asked, appearing in the kitchen. He gave his head a quick shake, clearly trying to make an attempt to get his shoulder-length brownish hair out of his eyes.  
  
"Six assassins and spies from the COL were in the city last night, taking out the guards," Fratley explained.  
  
Aireff looked over at Fratley with slight surprise. "Seriously?"  
  
"No lie," Fratley replied.  
  
"Then I'd keep on your guard," Aireff replied. "Something's going to happen, and it's not going to be pretty. Now... Where's the food?"  
  
Fratley rolled his eyes at his father and turned back to Freya and Amarant.  
  
"He's got a point, except for the food part," Fratley said.  
  
"He normally does have good points," Freya said thoughtfully. "Even with food."  
  
Amarant rose from the seat and walked down the stairs, soon opening the front door. He looked outside, almost as if expecting something. Soon, Freya had joined him.  
  
"What are you doing?" she asked.  
  
"Thinking," Amarant replied, heading outside. He walked away, leaving the door open.  
  
Freya closed the door, very confused. She quickly headed back up the stairs.  
  
"Amarant just left," she said with a shrug. "Where he's heading, I have no clue."  
  
"Neither do I," Fratley muttered. "I just hope he knows what he's doing."  
  
"He normally does," Freya said. She then smirked lightly. "Unlike you."  
  
Fratley rolled his eyes, giving Freya a light smack. "Leave me alone. I can't help that I'm clueless."  
  
Freya decided not to respond to that comment. She simply sat down at the table and stared at the wall, thinking over the previous night's events, and trying to figure out what she would do later.  
  
Amarant walked slowly down the slick, slush-filled streets. He didn't really notice that his leather boots were getting close to being completely soaked, and that his hair was becoming terribly matted from the rough rain falling from the sky. He was far too busy noticing more important things, such as the small splash of red blood on the stone building only a few feet away from Fratley's house.  
  
Stopping a few feet away from the stain, Amarant lifted his fingers and placed them carefully against the cold wall. He moved them downward, and soon examined them. Blood clung to his fingertips. The blood was all too fresh.  
  
He would have to get Meander to sniff it to know if it belonged to a Burmecian, however. Making a fist so the rain couldn't wash the blood off his fingers, Amarant headed off again, examining the buildings. With some aggravation, yet unnoticeable, he brushed large curls of red hair out of his eyes, sending water flying into the streets.  
  
The few Burmecians in the streets stayed out of his way. Amarant was glad. He was able to deal with Freya, and Fratley once in a while, but the other Burmecians were just plain aggravating for reasons he couldn't bother explaining. In fact, half the world was aggravating for Amarant. Amarant was sure the world felt the same way about him.  
  
Amarant slipped into the alley that contained the entrance to the Underground Chamber. He looked around to make sure no one was around. He then knelt down and smashed his fist into the hidden entrance. It didn't take long for the entrance to open, and a pair of green eyes stared at Amarant.  
  
"It's you," Dominic said with light surprise.  
  
"You sound surprised," Amarant grunted as Dominic fully opened the entrance to the Chamber.  
  
"I had expected Fratley, or maybe even Freya," Dominic replied.  
  
"They're engaged now, so don't count on their arrival," Amarant grunted, watching Dominic head down the stairs. He soon followed.  
  
"Oh. So you're doing the dirty work," Dominic said as he headed down the stairs. As Amarant closed the secret door, Dominic looked up at Amarant. "Why are you making a fist?"  
  
"Keeping the rain from giving my hand an unwanted bath," Amarant grunted. "I'll show you when we're actually in light."  
  
Dominic's steady footsteps seemed to agree with Amarant's statement. The two descended the stone staircase silently, their footsteps echoing through out the chamber. Soon, the light of candles was scene, and the two had arrived in a lowly lit, large room. Dominic turned around to face Amarant, who stopped moving the minute he reached the level floor. Amarant noted how easy it was to see Dominic compared to most people who may be in the chamber. He figured it had to be Dominic's tan skin.  
  
"What do you have?" Dominic asked.  
  
"Look," Amarant said, flexing his hand to reveal the blood on his fingertips.  
  
"Fight?" Dominic guessed.  
  
"No. It was on the wall of a building only seven feet away from Fratley's house. Freya is staying there," Amarant explained.  
  
Dominic's eyes glittered with acknowledgement. "I'll go get Meander."  
  
That was definitely one thing Amarant liked about Dominic. The 18-year-old didn't ask questions. He knew when something was important, and he knew what to do. If the kid wasn't so stressed all the time, and if he didn't have the potential to be annoyingly dangerous, Amarant may had just liked to work with him.  
  
The scraping of claws against the stone floor surprised Amarant, but he quickly located the source as Meander walked into the room. The demon hybrid was not wearing his boots, and his odd feet, with four front toes and one toe facing backward, were revealed. They were both bird-like and humane at the same time, and covered in skin. The ends of each toe ended in a bird talon, and they were scraping against the ground as Meander walked over to Amarant.  
  
"Well?" Meander grunted.  
  
Amarant showed his hand to Meander. Meander lowered his face slightly to Amarant's bloody fingertips. He quickly sniffed the blood, then returned to full height.  
  
"It's Burmecian blood. It's fresh, too. Probably came from last night," Meander grunted. "Dominic told me where you found it... I'd say the COL is knocking out guards near her house so Julius can nail her... Who is she with now?"  
  
"Fratley and... Aireff, I think his name is?" Amarant replied, thinking furiously.  
  
"Fratley, don't care. Aireff is a good thing, though," Meander quickly said. "That guy may be getting old, but he's a killer fighter."  
  
"Is Rose there?" Dominic asked.  
  
"Sleeping," Amarant answered.  
  
"She wakes up quickly. I've observed that," Meander said. "She's another killer. I think Freya's going to be all right."  
  
"Unless she chooses to take a walk alone," Amarant pointed out.  
  
"Shit, forgot about that. What is it with these Burmecians and walks?" Meander growled.  
  
"Personally I would not like to take a walk in this weather," Dominic announced.  
  
"Now what catastrophe is about to unfold?"  
  
Everyone in the room turned about to see Kitski enter the room. She was clad, to everyone's surprise, fully in leather. Long leather pants that were decorated with deep blue designs completely covered her legs, while a tight leather vest was fit over a white, silk shirt. The leather vest was also decorated with blue designs. Long, leather boots and gloves completed the attire. Her egg-shaped pouch was put on to hang across her chest. Kitski snorted softly, blue cat eyes examining the group.  
  
"What?" she asked.  
  
"You look prepared for something," Meander grunted.  
  
"I'm prepared for a fight, unlike you," Kitski snapped, walking over. "It's clear that there's going to be a fight today. Those twelve COL members we just killed prove it."  
  
"You killed them? Damn, I'm impressed with all of you. You act nice and quick," Amarant said with true admiration. Finally he had found people with minds.  
  
"Why shouldn't we? They wouldn't tell anything no matter what we tried, so we just killed them," Kitski spat. "Now, Meander, why don't you actually go get some armor on? And your feet are stinking up the place."  
  
"You'd better shut up or I'm tearing your tongue straight out," Meander threatened.  
  
In a flash of movement, Kitski had a short, curved, and very sharp sword aimed at Meander's throat. Amarant was quick to note the leather sheathes she had crisscrossing each other on her back. Amarant smirked slightly, impressed at Kitski's swift movement. Meander's look of surprise made Kitski smirk. From beneath stray locks of blond-brown hair that had fallen over her face, Kitski's blue eyes locked on Meander's black eyes.  
  
"Why don't you keep your own mouth shut before you lose the ability to speak?" Kitski asked in a soft, dangerous voice. "Healers don't just heal, or at least I don't. They fight too, and I know human and demon anatomy both very well."  
  
"Shit," Meander muttered. He was not describing Kitski's words, but rather cursing because of them.  
  
Chuckling bitterly, Kitski sheathed her curved dagger. She pushed the stray locks of hair out of her face, and managed to keep them out of the way. Meander moved past her and down the hall as quickly as he could. Kitski watched him leave calmly.  
  
"Did you ever consider becoming an assassin?" Amarant asked. Kitski chuckled again as she looked over at Amarant.  
  
"Sorry," she said rather coldly. "My job is to heal the victims of failed assassinations, not to finish the job."  
  
With that, Kitski turned around and headed back down the hall. Amarant watched her leave. He then looked over at Dominic.  
  
"Okay, she made her opinion very clear. Now what?" Dominic asked.  
  
"We should patrol and prepare," Dominic replied.  
  
Amarant nodded lightly in agreement. The two made brief eye contact before going separate ways.  
  
The day passed by uneventful, but certainly full of confusion. Freya did not see any of her friends but Fratley, his family, and some Burmecians through out the entire day. Everyone else seemed to have disappeared. No one, however, seemed concerned but Freya. Aireff said they were probably preparing, Fratley agreed, and Rose refused to answer.  
  
At evening, Freya couldn't stand the quiet house. Getting no answers she wanted, Freya left the house to find the Underground Chamber and ask. Fratley seemed concerned, but Freya managed to convince him that she'd be fine, and soon she was walking through the streets.  
  
Freya looked around quietly, noting that many Burmecians were not walking the streets, but rather inside eating dinner. Without many guards out, the streets seemed hauntingly empty. Freya reached for her spear, and was relieved to find it safe by her. She had bought it earlier that day, and was relieved she remembered to take it with her.  
  
Freya quickly slipped into one of the wider alleys that led to the Underground Chamber. Carefully she leapt over the many boxes, stones, and rubble that laid strewn across the alley. Sighing, Freya wondered half- heartedly if the alleys would ever be cleaned, or if they'd forever be in disarray and a reminder of Burmecia's defeat.  
  
Just after Freya leapt over a piece of stone, Freya heard a roar behind her. Only inches away from her, the piece of stone she had just leapt over was rammed into many large chunks as a massive, flaming ball of rock hit it. Freya immediately leapt to the ground, covering her head, then rolled to the side and behind a wooden box when she heard a distinct snap. In seconds, a fireball set the box into flames. Immediately Freya leapt to her feet and looked around, knowing exactly who was causing the trouble.  
  
Her suspicions were swiftly confirmed when Julius leapt from a roof and landed in the alley, only a few feet away from where the stone he had blasted to pieces once stood. Freya immediately took out her spear and aimed the blue-tinted tip at Julius. Julius put away his crossbow and took out his black sword in a flash of movement. He aimed the tip at Freya's throat. For three seconds the two warriors stared at each other, their eyes seeming to try and stare into each other's souls.  
  
Suddenly, without warning, Julius rushed forward, holding his sword in a defensive position. Freya leapt into the air and out of the way. Charging her spear with white energy, she aimed the iron tip at Julius, only to find him kneeling down and leaping into the air after her. The male did not go as high as Freya was, but he did go just high enough to grab Freya's ankle and roughly pull her downward. Freya showed her anger by slashing Julius in the face with her spear as she went down.  
  
Freya slammed hard into the ground, while Julius landed smoothly on his feet. Spinning his sword around, Julius rushed toward Freya, ready to skewer her, but Freya was too quick. She rolled out of the way and got to her feet quickly. Julius quickly changed course, but he was met by Freya's spear. A brief struggle ensued, but Freya was overpowered and soon sent back first into the wall. Taking a deep breath, Freya began to charge her spear with energy, but before she could completely charge it, Julius slammed the hilt of his sword into Freya's head. Freya staggered to the ground, yet managed to roll out of the way of a final blow. At the same time, she threw her spear at Julius' right shoulder, piercing it. Energy leading the attack made the wound larger. Grumbling, Julius removed the spear and snapped it in two on his knee while Freya staggered to her feet. He then tossed it at Freya, who caught the now shortened piece of wood containing the tip. Julius cursed, realizing Freya could still use the spear.  
  
Shifting his sword slightly, Julius rushed forward, seeming unaffected by his shoulder wound. Freya knew it was probably healing, so she leapt to her feet and, charging up her spear, leapt out of the way of Julius' attack and tried to attack his shoulder again. Julius quickly kicked Freya into a wall. The air knocked out of her lungs, Freya didn't have time to dodge Julius' next attack, which involved him slashing her across the chest. The wound was light, but painful and still dangerous. Freya made a fist and swung it straight into Julius' face, sending him backwards and onto the ground, if unharmed. Quickly Freya muttered ancient words as she held up her spear. Swiftly Reis's Wind came into effect, and the Regen it left began to heal Freya's wounds. Knowing she would probably be all right, Freya moved to dodge an attack, only to find that Julius had sent a Fire spell toward her. Confused on why such a weak spell was sent, Freya paused from confusion.  
  
The small burst of fire nailed the wooden handle of her spear and burnt it to a crisp. Freya stared with surprise as the iron tip of the spear fell to the ground and landed softly at her feet. She then glared at Julius, only to find him aiming his sword at her throat. The sword was rimmed slightly with red energy.  
  
"Bastard," Freya muttered out of frustration as she leapt into the air.  
  
Julius seemed to ignore her comment. He instead muttered demon under his breath. Red rings of energy shot from his sword and slammed into Freya's stomach. Freya fell onto a massive box, splitting it, and she rolled painfully to the ground, yelping involuntarily with pain. Quickly Julius rushed forward to finish her off. He was surprised when Freya rolled out of the way and slammed her feet into his hands with a double kick. Julius' grip on his sword loosened, yet when he went to regain his grip, Freya's feet made contact with his sword. The sword went sprawling out of his hands and seven feet away. Quickly Julius rushed to retrieve it, but Freya had already slid forward, grabbed his leg with her feet, and flipped him to the ground. She suddenly felt incredibly relieved that she had remembered her martial arts training from the beginning of Dragon Academy.  
  
On the other hand, Julius was clearly very angry. He quickly began to prepare a Firaga spell in his hand, but Freya punched him in the head, startling him into discharging the spell onto his own hand. Julius yelped with frustration and pain, then punched Freya in the jaw. He then drew his claws while he rose to his feet. Julius moved to attack, but was completely unprepared for Freya smashing her head into his skull. Stunned, Julius stumbled to the ground. Freya held out her hands.  
  
"Power of the heavens, lend the power to vanquish!" Freya roared, for once speaking loud and clear.  
  
Freya knew that very few Burmecians probably knew of the battle due to being inside and eating, yet she knew that a few were probably coming out by now. She wanted to inform them of the danger and have them stay away, and maybe help inform her own friends of the danger. Regardless of whether she succeeded or not, she threw a charged star-shaped "ball" of energy at Julius' retreating figure. Julius fell face-first into the ground.  
  
Julius rose shakily to his feet, winded and aggravated. His sword was only feet away. He dashed forward and picked it up, then whirled around and rushed for Freya. Freya rolled out of the way and moved to kick him, but Julius simply slammed his foot onto Freya's. Freya whipped up a quick ball of energy and shot it at Julius, sending him flying into a wall.  
  
Now, Julius realized the alley was no longer suitable to fight in. He immediately looked towards the streets. Though they would attract more attention, it would be easier to get out of bad situations, and easier to hit Freya. Nodding to himself, Julius moved to rush into the streets.  
  
"Don't retreat!"  
  
The voice was new, one Julius thought he faintly recognize. His feet faltered suddenly, and Julius tripped on his own feet. He rolled into the street as the voice continued to shout. Freya looked around, recognizing the voice, and trying to locate the shouter.  
  
"Don't run away. Don't teleport. Don't do anything to get you out of this situation!" Dominic bellowed, appearing from the alley way nearby. The Burmecians that had gathered outside looked over at him with confusion. Freya walked into the street and watched him with relief.  
  
Julius cursed bitterly as he rose, but he suddenly realized that it wasn't over. More people were appearing behind Dominic. Freya watched with shock as over five people appeared.  
  
Amarant was first to appear, along side Meander. The monk's claws were drawn, while Meander had his emerald sword out. The two walked forward and stood by Freya rather protectively. Eiko soon came as well, running forward while taking out her flute, and Kitski, who had her twin blades out, followed her more slowly. Vivi and, to Freya's pleasant surprise, his seven sons, walked valiantly over to Freya. The eight mages made a semi-circle in front of the group, as if in defense. Cleo whizzed forward and floated above everybody, her eyes angrily focused on Julius. And, finally, Fratley appeared, taking out his spear and spinning it about as he stood beside Freya. Dominic soon stood beside Meander. Freya stared with shock at all her friends, then a smile of triumph came over her face as she looked over at Julius.  
  
A look of horror slowly found its way onto Julius' face as he observed the seventeen people standing before him. He automatically tried to teleport, but it was quickly repelled, causing him to curse softly. Dominic's Commands were still there.  
  
There was no sound of warning, but Vivi and his sons suddenly sent a bunch of fire spells toward Julius. The demon hybrid quickly dodged, only to have to fight Meander, who had rushed forward. Eiko and Kitski pulled back, prepared to heal if they had to, though both women looked like they wanted to fight alongside the others. Cleo transformed into a Silver Dragon and dove for Julius, her claws extended. Amarant rushed forward, his claws glowing crimson, while Fratley began to prepare a Dragon Ability. Freya, stunned, pulled back beside Eiko.  
  
"Great Dragon," Freya muttered.  
  
"Amazing how many friends you have," Kitski said, and when Freya looked at her, she was surprised to see a light smile on the Demi's face.  
  
Julius sent a fiery wall at the offense, sending many of the warriors backing away or leaping out of the way. He backed up, then took out a glittering, greenish blue stone that was surrounded by a red aura. He shouted words in the demon language, and the stone glittered in response. Eiko gasped, and Freya's eyes widened when she felt the ground rumble.  
  
Suddenly the road erupted, and a massive serpent, none other than Leviathan, soon stood in the streets. The few Burmecians who had stuck around to watch the battle now fled. Leviathan hissed and charged for Amarant, who was the nearest to him. Freya looked over at the jewel, and her eyes narrowed, understanding coming to her.  
  
"If we get rid of that stone... An Aquamarine! He's using it to control Leviathan," Freya gasped.  
  
"How?" Eiko asked.  
  
"Demon Energy. You!" Kitski spat, taking out a javelin and tossing it to Freya. "It's damn weak, but you deserve to join the fight."  
  
Freya smiled, catching the spear. "No weapon is weak. Thank you, Kitski."  
  
Freya spun her borrowed javelin about and rushed for Julius, who was trying to attack one of Vivi's sons from behind. She made it just in time to save the young mage. Freya slammed the iron butt of the javelin into Julius' head, making the warrior stumble. Leviathan screamed with rage as he lunged for Meander, who had moved to help. The serpent was clearly having trouble keeping together; all attention was focused on him, and therefore, he had around twelve people attacking him at once.  
  
Charging her spear, Freya grabbed for Meander's tail, and managed not to hurt her hand on the shiny, poisonous spikes. She pulled him to the ground, causing the demon hybrid to curse vilely.  
  
"Oh, shut up! Help me with Julius. If we destroy the—"Freya began.  
  
"I get it. Just leave the tail alone!" Meander spat, preparing a fire spell.  
  
Freya nodded, but soon had to concentrate on Julius, who suddenly rushed toward her. Freya blocked his rush, and was soon caught in a struggle. She quickly noted the location of the Aquamarine; the jewel was glittering near his crossbow. Meander clearly had noticed. He grabbed a few sharp pieces of rock on the ground and tossed them into his fire spell, making a crude fireball. He then tossed the flaming rocks at the Aquamarine.  
  
The fire spell engulfed the Aquamarine and erupted, and the pressure from the rocks made it crack. It was not destroyed however, and Freya had finally been overpowered by Julius' rush. Julius moved to make the kill, but Fratley, who had noted the trouble, quickly knocked him to the ground. Leviathan was hissing in pain, clearly ready to leave regardless of being called.  
  
It was at that very moment that a flaming disk soared through the air and nailed a crack on the Aquamarine. The stone did not shatter, but it did split neatly in two, and the red aura vanished. Freya wished she could thank Amarant, but Leviathan hissed with pain before she could. Instead of attacking, the serpent thrashed around, as if shaking off some spell. He then seemed to relax. He focused his eyes on Julius and hissed. Nearby, Eiko lifted her flute, and played a long tune. Leviathan looked at her, and seemed to nod. He then shoved through the offense once attacking him, and lunged for Julius.  
  
Julius dodged the attack in a panic, only to run into the tip of Meander's sword. The sword didn't pierce Julius' skin, but if he hadn't rolled out of the way, Amarant's glowing claws would've. Shakily Julius rose to his feet, only to have to run out of the way of a massive Firaga spell generated by Vivi and his sons. Cursing, Julius took out a scroll. He opened it, slashed Amarant in the arm to keep the warrior back, and then read the words on the scroll.  
  
A roar issued in the sky, causing Amarant to stop trying to attack and look up. His dark eyes widened when he saw a massive meteor heading toward them all. Quickly the offense broke up as they all scattered to avoid the meteor. In the panic, however, Julius managed to slash Freya in the leg, causing her to trip. The meteor then slammed straight into her.  
  
Just as it did, Eiko began to play a tune, Kitski took out a leather pouch, and Fratley groaned with horror. Amarant's eyes narrowed as the meteor suddenly crumbled into small rocks. A limp body was revealed slightly, but suddenly a Curaga spell was cast on the body, and Kitski threw a massive bunch of powder near the body. A long pause came, and Julius looked awfully smug.  
  
But then the body moved, rising to its feet and shaking off the rocks. Fratley let out a sigh of relief, while Amarant let out a sharp laugh.  
  
"Out of all things that can take her down, a giant rock is not one of them!" Amarant shouted.  
  
"It almost did," Kitski muttered, watching as Freya stumbled a bit, wounds from the rocks evident on her body. It seemed, however, that the Curaga spell, and the powder, had both saved her life, seconds before it was taken.  
  
In a rage, Julius rushed toward Freya and tackled her to the ground. He soon found himself on the ground as five massive Fira spells met him. Fratley dashed to Freya's side, while Amarant and Meander rushed forward to attack Julius. Cleo suddenly flew over to Freya, revealing to have transformed into a fiery phoenix. Leaning over one of Freya's worse wounds, a small tear came from Cleo's eye and dropped on a massive gash in Freya's thigh. The gash began to heal. Cleo began to flutter about, quickly healing the worse wounds with one or two tears. Freya sighed with relief and with Fratley's help rose to a sitting position.  
  
Julius, meanwhile, was having a lot of trouble avoiding attacks from ten different people. Leviathan was definitely no exception. Though the serpent had hidden underground from the meteor, he had returned and was slithering toward Julius, hissing angrily. Julius managed to cast a Fire spell to push Meander and Amarant back, but the Fire spell was extremely weak. Meander began to prepare his own fireball, while Amarant held out one of his massive hands. He closed his eyes, and a black aura came from his hand and surrounded Julius. Julius let out a startled gasp, while Meander looked over at Amarant.  
  
"Now wha--?" Meander began.  
  
"Curse. He should be extra weak against fire now," Amarant muttered, charging his claws with red energy.  
  
"I would say I love you, but that'd be lying," Meander replied, his fire spell now the size of his own head.  
  
By now, Freya was standing, and preparing her Javelin for a final Lancer attack. Everyone could see Julius was weakening. He was exhausted, and his Regen spell appeared to have run out; none of his wounds from the past five minutes had healed. Cleo took to the skies and watched Julius suspiciously. The shapeshifter was clearly ready to continue healing, and maybe peck Julius' brains out as well.  
  
Suddenly Meander's Firaga spell discharged and nailed Julius in the stomach. The warrior was soon sprawled in the street. Amarant dashed forward and slashed at the warrior's leg with his charged claws. Vivi and his sons sent Fire spells at the warrior, further keeping the warrior from standing. Julius tried to prepare his own Fire spell, but only succeeded in making a bunch of smoke. When he tried to rise, his bleeding leg failed to help him.  
  
Fratley moved to finish Julius off, but Freya was far quicker. She dashed forward and slammed her Lancer-enhanced Javelin straight into Julius' chest. The warrior grabbed her leg and threw her into the ground back first. Freya slammed her head painfully against a rock and groaned with pain as she tried to rise. Kitski watched her with concern, but noted Fratley walked over to help her. Soon, the Demi had turned her attention to Julius.  
  
The warrior had just let out a final gasp. His hands made fists as his black eyes stared at the cloudy sky above. Blood slowly leaked from his wounds. His body suddenly became tense, and Amarant's eyes widened.  
  
"MOVE!" Amarant shouted, leaping away from the area. He was soon followed by Meander.  
  
Freya rose to her feet and moved to run, but she and Fratley were too slow. Julius' body exploded in a flash of red energy that rammed into the two Burmecians and sent them sprawled on the hard ground. The red energy floated in the air for a while before rushing to the hole Leviathan had created. The energy went underground and was soon gone. Leviathan soon followed it.  
  
Slowly Freya and Fratley rose to their feet. Amarant and Meander looked around with satisfaction. A few Burmecians came out of their hiding places and looked around nervously. Eiko let out a sigh of relief, while a smile came over Kitski's face. Vivi and his sons looked just about ready to cheer. Cleo let out a call of victory, while Freya looked around with complete surprise.  
  
"Great Dragon," she muttered, slowly comprehending what she had just accomplished.  
  
"Great Dragon indeed! Thank her a lot!" Kitski said with a smile. "Look at what you just accomplished."  
  
Freya looked around at the relieved, happy faces everyone had. She felt a smile come over her own face as she realized what they had all just accomplished. She glanced at everyone. Amarant was watching her, and Freya could see a small smile on his face. Meander looked he was about to start dancing with happiness. Vivi and his sons were all silently cheering. Cleo's call of victory had yet to end. Kitski was smiling, and Eiko was joining Vivi and his sons in the silent cheer. Dominic was smiling as well. Freya looked over at Fratley to find him smiling, his blue eye glittering.  
  
And suddenly, Freya couldn't keep calm.  
  
"Thank the Great Dragon, YES!" Freya called happily, holding her arms out to the sky. Her call seemed to travel through out the city, and through out the world.  
  
------- Dun dun dun! =) Finally, eh? This was probably one of the hardest battles to write (seventeen people, with about fifteen of them active... Not fun!) I think I did my best on it, but I apologize if some characters don't get a fair share in the fight. It was hard to keep track. Anyway, the story's not over yet (heh). Stay tuned to see the two chapters that will lead to the end (think, and you'll know what still has to be done).  
  
Oh, and a person asked me about the ball of energy Freya can shoot about... Basically, that's very simply the Star-Moon attack ("Power of the heavens, lend the power to vanquish!" attack) before it's powered up. It's an attack I made up for Dragon Warriors. I'm afraid I wouldn't know if it's Amarant's No Mercy attack because, even though I finished the game, I didn't get everyone's abilities O.o Whoops.  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	36. Chapter Thirtysix

Chapter Thirty-six  
Two Weeks Later; Burmecia; Arena of the Dragon  
  
For the first time in about a month, Freya's life began to slow down. She found that she was able to sleep more deeply, and feel more refreshed. The Burmecians around the city were always praising her. Freya would often pass by and hear them whisper of how she defeated Julius on her own. No matter how many times Freya tried to convince them that she had help, the Burmecians wanted to believe it was only her.  
A few Burmecians spoke of Dominic, and how he had been able to command Julius to do anything. They seemed confused on how he didn't just command Julius to die. Many concluded that he couldn't, but Fratley, curious, chose to ask. Dominic had fidgeted, blushed, and left the room, seeming highly disturbed by the question. No one asked again.  
The entire city retold tales of how Freya survived Julius countless times, and of how even her father Eroy had not survived. They seemed awed by it, and no matter what Freya did to try and convince them that she had had help, the Burmecians wanted to believe in her. Flattered, Freya allowed them to.  
Yet no matter how excited the Burmecians were at Julius' fall, it couldn't meet their excitement at the battle soon to come. Freya couldn't remember an earlier time when she had gotten more praise, encouragement, and "good lucks" than then. Everyone had something to say to her about the tournament to get her Dragon Warrior status. Everyone believed she could do it.  
Then again, the good spirits of the city probably came from the near nonexistent crime rate. Anyone working for the COL – Raven was a good example – was arrested and jailed. The COL's activity, according to a happy Cleo, was decreasing. Picking out a new leader was proving tricky for them. Though Cleo did not bring news of a breakup in the group, it was clear they were less of a threat now that their founder had joined the demons in hell.  
Thus, thanks to all the good news, Freya was able to prepare for the tournament, and return to "normal" life, with surprising leisure.  
  
"Why are you so nervous? You've survived a corporation and annihilated their leader!"  
Sighing, Freya looked over at a very annoyed Amarant. She smiled nervously, readjusting her hat so it was not so lopsided. Picking up her new lance that she hoped not to lose, Freya rose from the stone bench she had been sitting at.  
"I don't know," Freya admitted. "I guess since it took so long to defeat Julius—"  
"Don't even dare tread that water! Julius was a mastermind at annihilating your kind! I highly doubt Wanderer's going to sending you against something you can't handle," Amarant interrupted, shaking his head with disbelief. He walked over and gave Freya a light cuff on the shoulder. "You are ridiculous."  
"Thank you for the 'best of luck'," Freya grunted sarcastically. "I'll look for you, okay?"  
"And I'll boo when you see me," Amarant said as a way of goodbye. He padded out of the room and headed upstairs, toward the stands of the Arena of the Dragon.  
Freya sighed softly and looked around the massive cave that was actually the resting spot on the southern side of the arena. Deep within the mountains, a few miles away from the castle, the Burmecians had cut, out of the mountain's side, a massive arena. The arena, the stands, and the resting areas were all cut from the mountain. As Freya looked around the grey cave, she admired the amazing columns and ancient carvings the ancient Burmecians had put into making the arena, an arena worthy of Dragons. Carved in the walls of the rest arena were a long, endless bench, and a few torch holders and small "counters" to place items. It was a clever design.  
Outside, Freya distinctly heard a massive gong, then a series of trumpets. Trying to shake off the last of her nervousness, Freya turned towards the small opening. She couldn't see the details of the Arena well, but she remembered from her childhood that they were spectacular.  
"Attention, my fellow Burmecians," Freya heard Wanderer call, his accented voice smoothly travelling across the Arena. "We gather here to watch an amazing and significant battle. Today, our own Freya Crescent will fight one of the most dazzling creatures to try and show her chance to serve as a Dragon Warrior."  
The trumpets sounded again, and Freya understood it was time to come out. She left the small cave, and was immediately shocked by the arena.  
It was a massive rounded-rectangle arena, 385 feet long and 138 feet wide. The ground of the arena was completely smooth, grey, black-flecked stone. Rising, smoothly carved stone walls rose into the air and soon formed a railing, also carved from the stone. Stone seats, carved from the same mountain, rose steadily, and these seats could comfortably hold a startling 900 people, more if they were crowded in. Thus, the seats were not even half-full, containing only 163 people. At the northern part of the arena was another "room", and above it, a massive, stone stand where the gong, the musicians, Wanderer, and Anita sat comfortably in seats carved right from the same mountain. Above, clouds billowed in the sky, but the snow that fell was light, and the clouds were so thin that you could see the sun blazing in the sky.  
It took Freya a few seconds to realize that 163 people were now making a whole lot of noise. Cheers, whistles, and shouts erupted from the stairs, causing Freya's ears to twitch with slight irritation. Getting slowly used to the bright sun, Freya looked around, and soon located Dominic, Meander, Amarant, Vivi and his sons, Fratley, Cleo, Eiko, Kitski, and Puck all sitting together. All of them appeared to be cheering or at least trying to encourage her, except for Meander and Amarant. Freya was not surprised, and turned her attention back to Wanderer, who had risen.  
"Now, may the challenge arise," Wanderer said, taking a sword out from behind him. "Watch the wonders of the Spirit Gladiator."  
A murmur came up in the crowd. Freya watched as Wanderer held the sword by the hilt, and put the tip carefully on the ground. Bowing his head, he closed his eyes. For a few seconds, nothing seemed to happen. No sounds were made, and it was strangely quiet.  
Then, suddenly, a flash of light erupted from Wanderer's hands. The burst of light split into five strands of light that encircled Wanderer. The strands of light did a few loops around him before spiraling upward toward the center of arena. When the spirals of light were about 200 feet above the arena, they suddenly combined. Another massive flash of light came, temporarily blinding most of the group due to the brightness. Freya automatically held her hand in front of her eyes to shield her eyes from the bright light.  
A distinct roar filled the air. Freya heard a series of gasps. She then felt the ground shake as something massive hit the ground. Slowly Freya lowered her hand, and gasped with shock, eyes wide, when she saw the creature standing before her.  
It was massive. The dragon was twenty feet long from the tip of its four-foot snout to the end of its six-foot tail. It was fourteen feet high at the shoulder, and its neck was a startling six feet long. Its head seemed well proportioned for its body, even the four-feet-long black horns atop it. Three-foot tusks hung from the dragon's snout, and two four-foot black, thin membrane hung from either side of its jowl. The membrane resembled whiskers. The dragon was covered in black, metal-like plates of scales. Each plate had a sharp, one-foot-long spike at the top that rose slightly away from the above plate. The plates at the dragon's neck, chest, and underbelly were especially thick, and especially sharp. The plates on its snout were thinner than the others. The black claws on the dragon's massive, four-feet-long feet were a startling five-feet-long, longer than the foot they belonged to. At the end of the dragon's tail was a sharp spike. The dragon lifted its head to the sky and roared, revealing two rows of small, sharp teeth on either side of its mouth. It spread its wings, revealing tough, black membrane and a wingspan of twenty-five feet. The dragon then focused its gaze on Freya, its red eyes locking on her green eyes.  
Murmurs went through the crowd. The same name was murmured again and again: "Undead Dragon". And they were correct. Before them was a dragon that was supposed to be a legend. A legend told of a dragon that ruled the underworld and brought the miseries of the world. A legend told of a dragon that wanted to destroy the world. Now, right before them, the legend's infamous star was before them. The Undead Dragon, Daskara, was before them.  
"May the tournament begin!" Wanderer suddenly called.  
Daskara let out a powerful roar, spreading his wings and soon taking to the skies. Freya spun her spear about, examining the dragon with her eyes. She wondered if the spaces between the dragon's plates were weak spots. Only experimenting would give the answer. Knowing her first method, Freya launched herself into the air.  
Daskara roared, fire forming within his maw. Freya spun her spear about, silently calling the power of Lancer to her. Below, within the stands, the small audience watched with awe as dragon and Burmecian seemed fixed in the air, unable to rise or fall.  
Then, suddenly, Daskara sent flaming breath at Freya. Just at that moment, Freya went falling downward. She just managed to escape the dragon's fiery breath. Freya tossed her spear forward, hoping to hit a spot hidden within the space between Daskara's plates.  
Snarling, Daskara quickly noted Freya's spear whizzing toward him. He shifted to try and avoid it, but the spear came too quickly. It slammed straight through a spike on one of Daskara's plates, shattering it. It then, with less pressure, slammed into a plate hidden by the spike. The Lancer energy provided just enough pressure and speed to penetrate the thick spike, but not the skin hidden below it.  
Gasps of amazement came from below as pieces of Daskara's spike fell into the crowd. Freya watched as Daskara plucked her spear from his spike. He then tossed it back toward her tip-first. Freya rolled out of the way of the attack and grabbed her spear's handle as it went whizzing past her. She then back-flipped out of the way of a sudden bite coming from Daskara. Daskara snarled, landing smoothly on the ground. He swiped at Freya with his massive claws, but Freya simply danced backward, holding her spear out in front of her.  
"Power of the heaven's, send the power of the mighty warriors!" Freya shouted.  
Daskara snarled with anger, then with pain as a dragon spirit plowed through him, coming from a dragon pentagram hidden under the dragon's large body. The dragon spirit shattered a few of the weaker plates, but the thick plates on the Undead Dragon's underbelly stayed intact. A shower of black particles fell onto Daskara. He snorted with annoyance, lowered himself slightly, and lifted a massive foot. He began to rub at his face, trying to remove some particles dangerously close to his eyes.  
Freya rushed forward and soon leapt into the air, soaring straight over Daskara's head. Startled gasps coming from the crowd proved she had startled quite a few onlookers. Spinning her spear around as Freya soared down toward Daskara's now vulnerable back, Freya soon sent her spear straight into the middle of Daskara's back. Daskara roared with pain, quickly rising to his feet and snarling, looking back at Freya with annoyance.  
Most creatures would've bucked, reared, and tossed about, trying to throw Freya off. But Daskara proved to be smarter. He suddenly leapt in the air, then turned himself upside down, and headed downward to send himself back first into the ground. Freya's eyes widened with shock. She used gravity to her advantage. Quickly she pulled her spear free, fell to the ground and leapt toward safety. She almost made it. Her foot was soon squashed between the ground and Daskara's body. Freya winced with pain, while Daskara growled with satisfaction. Horrified gasps came from the crowd.  
Daskara rolled to his feet, allowing Freya to rise painfully to her feet. Though her left foot throbbed, it was not broken, though tender and painful. Lightly putting it on the ground, Freya looked up to see Daskara's jaws moving to close in on her. There was no way Freya could move in time, and she soon found herself in the dragon's mouth.  
Freya thought quickly. She rolled about on the dragon's slimy tongue, and shoved her spear into the upper roof of the dragon's mouth. Daskara let out a choked scream, thrashing about instinctively for a few seconds. He tried to swallow, but Freya only shoved the spear in further when she felt the pressure. Daskara screamed, then began to choke. Freya wrenched her spear out of the dragon, and allowed herself to be coughed onto the ground. She slammed hard into the ground, and soon was dazed.  
When Freya regained her senses, she soon heard the amazed cheering coming from the crowd. She leapt to her feet, not fazed by the slimy salivation dripping from her. Daskara was coughing up a little more blood, but quickly focused on Freya. The dragon looked extremely annoyed. He roared, then charged for Freya. Freya rolled out of the way, but was quickly surprised when Daskara swerved, lowered his body, and used the sharp spike at the end of his wing to puncture Freya's left shoulder deeply, lift her in the air, and send her flying into a stone wall. Freya fell to the ground with a hard crash, and gasps were heard.  
Freya groaned deeply, staggering to her feet and wishing bitterly that potions could've been allowed into the arena. Dragon Warrior tradition considered it "cheating" in a tournament and Wanderer had kept with the tradition. As Daskara charged for her, however, Freya quickly remembered something else she could do to heal herself.  
With a powerful leap, Freya soared high above Daskara, who snarled with deep exasperation. Freya spun her spear about, mentally calling upon the powers of Reis's Wind. White Dragon Spirits encircled her, sending powder onto her. Soon, Freya's wounds began to heal themselves. Noting this, Daskara leapt into the air and clamped his teeth onto the leg of an unprepared Freya.  
It didn't take long – only two seconds – for Freya to react to the extreme pain in her leg. She spun her spear above and sent the sharp point straight into one of Daskara's nearly hidden nostrils. Daskara instinctively opened his mouth and snarled with pain, releasing Freya in the process. Yet Freya allowed her spear to drag along. The spear slowly cut through the thin plates on Daskara's snout, leaving a blood trail. Freya soon landed on the ground, and crumbled into a heap, her bloody leg not able to take her weight. Cursing softly, Freya rolled away from Daskara's rising foot. She rolled about five feet until she rose to her knees. While Daskara pawed at his nostril, trying to lower the bleeding, Freya examined her leg. Though bleeding, Regen was quickly doing its work, and Freya suspected that it would hopefully support her weight soon. The fracture – Freya knew there was one – looked clean. Regen could probably as least partially mend the bone together, though the chances were rare, depending on how bad the fracture was.  
There were a few minutes of no activity as Freya and Daskara both tried to recover from their latest trials. The audience seemed to be holding their breath, wondering what was to come. Freya didn't blame them. For all the past activity, it seemed as if something exciting had to happen.  
Daskara clearly wanted it to happen. He suddenly roared, his mouth beginning to fill with a dark substance. Front legs off the ground, he stayed still, seeming paralyzed in his position. Expecting the worse, Freya rose shakily to her feet, finding that her leg could support minimal weight. She needed it stronger, but first, she had to figure out what Daskara was doing, and how to dodge.  
Soon, Freya found that there was no way to dodge, and if there was, she didn't know of it. For suddenly, Daskara shot a ball of dark energy at Freya. Freya moved to roll out of the way, but the ball only expanded to fit where she was. Freya tried to jump, and managed to get into the air, but the ball only followed her. Finally, it reached her, and Freya was engulfed in the dark substance.  
A strange, tingling feeling reverberated through Freya's body. Freya tried to see through the black membrane, but she couldn't. It was too dark. Now really expecting the worse, Freya tried to move her spear. It didn't work. The black membrane resisted the movement. Soon, however, it didn't matter, for purple electricity shot through the membrane, and Freya soon was struggling not to scream.  
Suddenly, the membrane disappeared. Freya fell to the ground in a crumpled heap. Gasps, murmurs of worry, and cries were heard from the crowd, but to Freya, they sounded strangely far away. Daskara roared, sounding triumphant. Hearing this sound seemed to strengthen Freya. Out of all things she would let the dragon have, victory was not one of them.  
All sounds and movement in the disturbed audience stopped when Freya twitched. All eyes focused on her. Freya twitched again, realizing her body was, indeed, responding. Slowly she moved her arms to help push her up. She slowly pushed herself to her feet, and staggered about a bit, dizzy.  
Daskara growled with shock, his red eyes widening. Gasps of surprise came through the crowd, then shouts of encouragement and cheers. No one had expected Freya to rise in a mere five seconds. Freya managed to regain her balance, and stared toward Daskara, her vision blurry. She could see Daskara's look of shock, and it made her smirk. He didn't think she'd still be conscious.  
"Power of the heavens, send the cherry blossoms of hope!"  
Freya's throaty, yet powerful voice reverberated through the arena. Pink petals encircled Daskara, who was still staring at Freya was shock. As the dragon spirit plowed through him, the only thought in his mind was, "She shouldn't still be standing!"  
Daskara was soon brought back to reality when the pink petals erupted in flames. The flames scorched his plate-like scales, weakening them, and making some of the already-weakened ones fall off. The scales on his throat, underbelly, and chest, however, were still untouched. They didn't even look slightly affected by all the damage.  
Yet Freya knew it did not matter. She spun her spear around, charging it with the power of Lancer. Her legs were still weak, but she knew she could at least try to run. Taking a deep breath, Freya dashed forward, and by luck, her legs held.  
What her legs didn't hold well to, however, was leaping in the air. When Freya moved to leap, her legs crumpled below her. Somehow, however, she managed to get slightly in to the air. She threw her spear just as she fell face-first into the stony ground. A snarl of pain from Daskara startled her. She felt herself being showered with sharp, metallic-like pieces. When Freya rose to her knees, she found she had been showered with pieces of Daskara's plates. Hearing the dragon thrash about, Freya lifted her gaze, and was very surprised to find her spear had been thrown just right to hit Daskara in the knee.  
Daskara was now extremely annoyed. He lowered his mouth and wrenched Freya's spear out. Yelping with pain from the act, he dropped Freya's spear. Freya caught it and rolled away from the dragon. She rose shakily to her feet, and was very surprised to watch Daskara crumple into his own heap when he tried to run after her. Growling, he rose to three legs. He tried to lower the leg with the damaged knee to the ground, but then growled with pain when the leg wouldn't hold. Freya's eyes widened with shock while cheers erupted from the crowd. She had not expected to maim the dragon with such a throw.  
Now, however, was her chance. Freya lifted her spear in the air.  
"Power of the heavens, send the dragon's breath!" Freya shouted, at the same time calling upon Lancer's power.  
A dragon head appeared in the ground and sent a fiery breath onto Daskara, causing the dragon to snarl and back away. He was so concerned with the dragon head that he didn't notice Freya rush forward and leap into the air. It seemed her legs had recovered, for Freya managed to leap right up to Daskara's slightly lowered head. She slammed her spear into the spot right behind his horns. She felt the dragon's skull stop the attack mid- way, but that was the idea. She didn't want to kill the dragon; she wanted to let it know she could kill it.  
Daskara thrashed his head about for a second, but only caused Freya to slide her spear along, cutting a long wound in the dragon's head. Daskara's thrashing suddenly stopped. Freya smirked lightly, knowing the dragon was thinking over his actions. Either that or the pain from thrashing about and nearly slicing his own head open was too much. Not caring which one it was, Freya dislodged her spear and leapt backwards. She soared straight away from the dragon's head, spun her spear about, and sent the spear into Daskara's already-damaged knee. She dragged it downward freely, now that Dragon's Breath had burned away most of the plates. Daskara snarled, and startled Freya when he allowed himself to fall to the ground. She soon found out why.  
It seemed that Daskara had one last attack. He suddenly reached out and grabbed Freya in one of his clawed paws. His grip on her tightened, and Freya felt a few of her ribs crack from the pressure of the grip. She managed not to yelp with pain. The dragon's claws clinked against his paw as the two met. The grip got tighter, and Freya let out a startled gasp, the breath taken away from her lungs. She felt as if she was going to be squeezed into a pulp.  
Little did she know that it was the exact feeling Daskara wanted to invoke. He slowly increased the pressure, causing startled gasps and cries from the audience. Freya gritted her teeth, unable to breathe. Her lungs couldn't expand due to the tightening grip. Daskara was clearly pleased.  
Ten seconds passed by, and weakness from no oxygen became very evident as Freya began to sag. Satisfied, Daskara suddenly tossed her toward the southern wall. Freya flew straight into it and crumpled in a heap on the ground. Startled cries came from the audience. Daskara tried to rise but couldn't. Freya lied still. Neither moved.  
Technically, the battle was over. The audience was tense and panicked, unsure of who was the victor. Neither fighter had risen. Some of the audience murmured that Freya might be dead. Daskara was watching his fallen opponent with calm red eyes. The dragon clearly knew something the others did not. Wanderer was also looking unusually calm. The dragon and Wanderer seemed to share some information.  
Just after 15 long-seeming seconds, when the atmosphere seemed too tense for comfort, Freya twitched. Anyone who had been watching her closely would've noted that she had started breathing five seconds after having hit the ground. With oxygen now in her system, her body began to recover. Freya sighed softly, shaking a bit as her body struggled to rise. Sound sounded too loud for her.  
Yet soon she had almost fully recovered, and Freya surprised everyone but Daskara and Wanderer by staggering to her feet. Holding onto the wall for support, Freya lifted her spear into her hand and looked over at Daskara, wondering if she still had to fight. Her body ached terribly, but she wouldn't give up.  
To Freya's great shock, Daskara lowered his head and body in defeat. Freya stared at him with disbelief, wondering how the dragon could possibly be giving the victory to her when he had the chance to kill her. Wondering if there was some type of trick, Freya looked toward Wanderer, only to find he had opened his mouth to speak.  
"And so this battle shows the victor of this long, dangerous tournament. May I present our winner, and new Dragon Warrior, Freya Crescent!" Wanderer shouted.  
Cheers erupted from the audience, cheers of relief, victory, and happiness. Blinking with surprise, Freya looked over at Daskara. The dragon looked at her with amusement. Freya slowly walked over and leaned against her spear, staring into the dragon's red eyes.  
"May I ask why—"Freya began.  
"Very simply the fact that there was no reason to kill you," Daskara replied in a rumbling voice that only Freya could here. "If you did not recover from that final blow, then it would've been my victory. Killing you would've proved nothing. You had not killed me. I did not have to kill you."  
"It seems as if I am not right to win this," Freya replied.  
"Not right to win? You survived being nearly squeezed to death. Your skills in fighting are excellent, but so is your recovery. Most would've been out by the time they were knocked into a wall. You deserved to win this," Daskara said. "A few times you fell, a few times you looked dead, but your recovery was quicker than anything I've seen."  
"Well, then I thank you," Freya said, bowing lightly.  
"Don't thank me. Thank yourself, and whoever trained you to be like this," Daskara grunted, shifting a bit.  
Thank Ebon? No chance, Freya though bitterly, nodding at the dragon.  
Freya turned about and, knowing she could go, slowly walked back to the southern chamber. It was there that Fratley greeted her. He hugged her, but thankfully was careful, clearly knowing of her cracked ribs.  
"That was amazin'," Fratley said. "'Ow did ya do it?"  
"I just... Did?" Freya guessed, not knowing how to answer the question.  
Fratley laughed. "I guess that'll do. The Burmecians were goin' nuts. I think they thought ya were dead a few times. Hell, even I thought ya were dead a few times!"  
"I thought I was going to die a few times," Freya admitted.  
"Only looking dead twice, though. Not bad," Amarant grunted, entering the room.  
"Except now I've got cracked bones," Freya replied. "Not enjoyable."  
"You'll recover. If you can recover from being squeezed, I think this should be no problem," Amarant grunted. "Now, come on. There's a huge party being held, and there's enough food to feet five dragons."  
Amarant turned around and headed up the stone stairs. Fratley nodded lightly at Freya, and soon followed Amarant. Freya moved to follow, then stopped and looked toward the arena. Daskara was gone, but the memory of the fight was fresh in her mind. The feelings she had felt while fighting were still in her mind. The fight had been thrilling in its danger.  
Smiling lightly, Freya slowly headed upstairs and toward the party to relax for the first time all day.  
  
-------- That was a fun battle scene to write, heh ;) Daskara is awesome... Almost as awesome as Meander... ANYWAY, -cough-, the final chapter will be coming soon, and the edits I made in the chapters ARE slight plot changes (would I have bothered telling you about them if they were just fixing up spelling mistakes?). Cleo is a SHE, if you couldn't read the constant female pronouns, Dominic's ability to kill people speaks for itself, Wanderer can't retire because he's king (Robshi, are you awake? ;) ), and this sentence is getting unnecessarily long. I hope you liked the fight scene, and the next chapter is the grand finale.  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


	37. Chapter Thirtyseven

Chapter Thirty-seven  
Three Weeks Later; Burmecia; Early Morning  
  
A thick sheet of near-black clouds covered the mountains decorating Burmecia's background; the massive clouds covered the very tips of the grand mountains, and were pummeling the region with a massive storm, a mix of snow and ice. Equally dark clouds, though not as thick, covered the skies of Burmecia, showering it with a similar mixture of ice and snow, though it was not as heavy there as it was in the mountains. There had been heavy precipitation for most of the evening before, and it had continued through out the night. It was hoped that the bad weather would clear up to at least a nice sprinkle of snow.  
Freya stared out the massive window in the "basement" of Fratley's house. Though the snow and icy rain falling from the sky made it difficult to see, the Burmecian could still see that the clouds were moving in the direction of the Vube Desert. The storm was moving on.  
Three weeks... A week to recover, two weeks for preparations. How a wedding could need two weeks for preparations, Freya was not too sure about herself. She supposed it didn't matter; as long as the weather cleared, the wedding would not have to be delayed any longer. Tail twitching, Freya turned her gaze from the window and stared at the wall near the stairs. How long had she dreamed for this day again? How long had it been?  
Years. She knew that. Years. Taking a deep breath, Freya padded quietly over to the stairs. She turned her gaze to the window one last time, watching as the ice and snow pelted the streets with no forgiveness. Then, nodding her head slightly, Freya disappeared upstairs.  
  
"Damn, I hate weddings."  
"You haven't even been to one."  
"Can't blame me. I risk having my throat cut open if I dare even show up in public."  
"And if anyone dares see you at a wedding, they may think it's for you."  
"And then I'm dead."  
Amarant and Meander were alone, safe inside one of the rooms in the Underground Chamber. The storm's endless battering against the ground could be heard almost as if it were nothing more than gentle rain. A massive fire, resting within the hearth opposite the wooden door, lit the good-sized room an orange color; yet, despite the fire's size, there appeared to be nothing burning in the hearth. The walls and floor were a white stone. Right in front of the earth was a brown and amber rug, luxurious and soft. Meander was lying on his back on this rug, staring at the ceiling. On either side of the rug were two massive chairs, layered with cushions. A footrest was in front of each chair. Amarant was relaxing in one of the chairs, staring at the wall. The wooden door leading into the room was partially open, and if the two men were paying attention, they would see a pair of blue cat eyes watching them.  
Meander sighed heavily, then spoke, "I don't see the point of these weddings."  
"Official stamp showing your love for each other, I guess," Amarant grunted. "Also official stamp that you can have kids without everyone shunning you."  
Meander let out a sarcastic bark of laughter, before mumbling, "Which is why I'm not allowed to get married."  
"Like you'd bother anyway," Amarant grunted.  
"I hate crowds," Meander randomly replied, though the response may have, perhaps, had something to do with the conversation.  
"So do I," Amarant answered. "Though I can deal with them better than you. I don't get all jittery."  
"I can't help it."  
"I know you can't."  
Meander's gaze flickered to Amarant for a moment, before returning to the spotless, white ceiling. He shook his head lightly, as if shaking some thought from his mind. Amarant looked over at him quietly, wondering what he was thinking.  
"I wish I could just skip the wedding," Meander grunted.  
"Freya would kill us," Amarant replied. He then chuckled bitterly. "Though she may be afraid we'll ruin it."  
"She knows we wouldn't bother," Meander snorted. "Too much work, and too much attention." Meander shuddered slightly when he spoke the final word.  
"We'll just have to go," Amarant concluded.  
"You'd better!"  
Meander groaned as the new, feminine voice pierced the air. He pushed himself into a sitting position and found that Kitski had entered the room. She wore her leather pants and white blouse, but her weapons were missing, though her pouch was with her. Closing the door quietly, Kitski turned her gaze on Meander.  
"It's not nice to spy on your father," Meander spat.  
"You're not my father. You're old enough to be my grandfather," Kitski retorted.  
"I adopted you. That count enough for you?" Meander growled.  
"You're still old enough to be my grandfather," Kitski replied, a smirk tugging at her lips.  
"I'm not that old," Meander said with a sigh, rolling on his stomach.  
"You're 56, buddy," Kitski said, walking over.  
"30 in human years."  
"No bother. I'm not here to argue about your age."  
"No, you're here to nag us," Amarant spat. "Don't worry, we'll behave at the wedding."  
"Oh, shut up. I'm not like that. I know better than to nag a bounty hunter with a fist the size of my head, or a demon hybrid with claws longer than my damn hair," Kitski snarled. "I'm here to discuss something more important."  
"My claws aren't that long," Meander muttered. "And your head isn't that big, though you act like it's inflated enough."  
Kitski chose to ignore Meander's comment as she threw herself into the chair opposite Amarant. She forced the chair into a position that allowed her to face Meander and Amarant with ease. She put her feet casually on Meander's back, causing the demon hybrid to growl.  
"I'm not your footrest."  
"Shaddup," Kitski spat. "You don't think the wedding will go smoothly, will you?"  
Meander and Amarant exchanged a confused glance. The two of them focused their gazes on Kitski, who returned the gazes with her own.  
"We were hoping--" Meander began.  
"Too bad. Hoping's not enough," Kitski interrupted, causing the hybrid to growl warningly. "No doubt either the Underworld or the COL has got to be pretty pissed off about their best man down the tubes. Crushois was probably living on the heads of the Burmecians Julius killed--"  
"Nice mental picture, Kitski," Meander growled.  
"--While a party must've come daily in the COL from all the victories Julius brought them. Julius was the COL's leader, and also their best killer; Julius was the Underworld's best hitman. That's two very powerful, very pissed off groups. Now, don't start arguing that the COL is nothing without Julius. 85% of the people in Julius' group were there because they believed Burmecians should be gone, not because they were forced. All members are trained to fight. The COL can try something; whether they will is the different story. And let's not get started on the Underworld's power." Kitski continued. "Just look at Daskara."  
"Daskara hates Crushois," Meander growled. "He, like everyone else, hates all demon scum."  
"Doesn't look like I'm hating your guts too badly," Kitski replied calmly. "Anyway, hopefully you get my point?"  
"That the wedding is going to be overrun by pissed off folks?" Amarant guessed.  
Kitski sighed, rolling her eyes. "Not exactly what I had in mind. The point is that you should be prepared for whatever comes."  
"Oh. That too," Amarant snorted.  
Another sigh escaped Kitski's lips while she rubbed her temples irritably. "Talking with you two is always an adventure."  
"Having someone's clawed feet on your back is a pretty interesting adventure as well," Meander commented.  
Kitski let out a soft chuckle as she rose to her feet. Soon, she was standing on Meander's back, and Meander's opinion was evident in his black eyes; the outer rim of the black irises was turning slightly red. Despite his evident aggravation, however, a light smirk came over Meander's face. The bulky tail of the hybrid twitched, then suddenly came upward in a full, powerful swing. Kitski detected the movement immediately, as she moved to avoid it, but she wasn't quick enough. Meander's tail circled around her leg, and soon lifted the Cat Demi into the air. The Demi was limp in a stunned position for a few moments. It didn't take long for her to become tense with anger.  
"You! Put me down!" Kitski spat.  
The smirk on Meander's face became broader while Kitski's blue eyes narrowed with anger. Lifting his hand, a few sparks of fire appeared at Meander's fingertips. The little sparks grew into a full-fledged inferno right at Meander's fingertips. With a single fluid movement, the fireball was sent flying into the wooden door, sending it crashing off its hinges from the force. When Kitski saw this, her eyes widened with shock, as she realized what was happening.  
"Oh no," she muttered. "No, no no -- Meander, DON'T!"  
Her half-hearted pleas were far too late. Already Meander's tail swung forward, releasing Kitski's leg. Kitski went flying straight into the stone wall of the hallway. Dominic, who had been passing by only a few feet away, looked up with startled confusion. Kitski spat out a bunch of curses, clearly not knowing he was there, while she rose to her feet. Black tail lashing, she bared her fangs at Meander, who was watching her with a light smirk on his face.  
"You are going to pay for that," Kitski hissed in a single breath.  
"How much do I owe you?" Meander asked.  
Kitski's mouth moved, but no words came out. It took her a few seconds to get Meander's joke, but when she did, her annoyed look had returned. She let out a cat-like hiss at Meander, who returned it with a demon hiss. Then, without another word, Kitski limped off, her leg bleeding from massive gashes.  
"Impressive. You actually enjoyed yourself, and you actually made a joke," Amarant grunted, looking over at Meander.  
"I know how to have fun if I really want to," Meander grunted.  
"Too bad you could've killed her," Dominic commented, peeking into the room for a few seconds.  
"I wouldn't have done it if I didn't think Kitski could handle it. Trust me, she'll be all dandy by the wedding," Meander replied.  
"Dandy?" Amarant snorted. "Funny, I never knew Kitski could be dandy."  
Meander looked toward the doorway, as if expecting a reply from Dominic, only to find that the boy had left. Shrugging lightly, Meander rose into a sitting position. He was soon on his feet and stretching.  
"Well, no time now," he said in a seemingly random way. "We can only hope the wedding won't be held."  
"And I wouldn't plan on that hope," Amarant grunted, but Meander had already disappeared.  
  
Whether or not Amarant and Meander had hoped for no wedding did not matter. In the end, the storm moved on, being replaced by a snow shower in the late afternoon, a snowy version of Burmecia's rain. The temperature was fiercely cold, thus freezing up the slick ground, but the grass near the lake was merely frosted, and easier to walk on than the ice-frozen stone paths. The thick, green, coniferous bushes glistened from the icy pearls that covered their branches. Snow covered the tops of the bushes, but did not completely cover the icy beauty contained on the green bushes. The single cherry tree living a lonely existence behind the green bushes had long shed its leaves, but ice had frozen upon its branches as well. Icy pearls of liquid were frozen mid-drop on the branches, making small yet gorgeous icicles. In their own way, the plants and ice worked together to make beautiful wonders. The lake itself was completely frozen over, with nothing beautiful about it except for the expanse of white snow covering it. The grass that wasn't covered in snow was showing off glistening, icy blades.  
It was pretty scenery for a wedding, if a bit dangerous to unsteady feet. But Kitski's feet were certainly not unsteady, and they particularly couldn't be when they weren't even on the ground. The Demi had her head in the massive bushes, her left hand pulling a few branches aside so she could see more clearly. Her cat-like flexibility allowed her to curl into a ball within the rest of the bush, so that she was relatively well hidden within the bush. She was also keeping fairly dry, since the bushes strong branches were holding up the snow, and any ice that may have melted onto her had been knocked to the ground in her struggle to get into the bush.  
Most probably would've thought Kitski had sneaked off to the wedding, but that wasn't the case. In fact, the main reason she was hiding was because of a Burmecian tradition at weddings. Unlike with humans and Demis, who felt it was close to a sin to even dare outshine the bride at weddings, Burmecians allowed it to become a gentle contest to see who could outshine the bride, or if she would outshine everyone else. The only problem Kitski found with the contest was that every female was considered. Kitski was wearing her average battle outfit -- leather pants, leather vest over a white shirt, her healing pouch, and a dagger hidden under either sleeve -- and somehow she knew that would not go well with the contest. Therefore, to avoid strange glances and questions, she hid in the bush.  
Her gaze centered on Freya, who was standing near the lake's frozen shore. Unlike humans brides, who were practically commanded to where white at their weddings, Burmecians barely ever wore white, being that their fur was white enough already. Freya, clearly, was no exception. Kitski had to admit, the Burmecian did look nice. The dress matched the color of Freya's green eyes, or got close to matching the almost seagreen color. It was not the fanciest dress in the world, which relieved Kitski; rather, lace decorated the ends of the sleeves and bottom of the dress, and the collar. Nothing else really fancy seemed on it. A single flower, pink in color, was in Freya's hair behind her left ear. Other than that, her outfit was not much, but somehow suited the Dragon Warrior well. Kitski unconsciously nodded with approval while turning her gaze elsewhere.  
"Hiding in the bush... How shameful of you."  
"What are you doing, Meander?" Kitski retorted, turning her gaze on the demon hybrid, who had crawled into the bushes beside her. She could see that he was having a little more trouble keeping completely within the bush, however; he, after all, didn't have nearly as flexible a spine as she did.  
"Cowering in the bush. Twice as shameful as your actions," Meander grunted, looking over at his adopted daughter.  
"From the crowds?" Kitski guessed, looking out toward the lake. "Oh, my. Everyone seems to be arriving at once."  
"You mean you didn't hear the airship?" Meander asked, almost nervously. "Rulers are arriving..."  
"It's only Lindblum and Alexandria," Kitski replied.  
"Still, they are -- Who's that?" Meander asked, turning his gaze toward the very crowd he was hiding from.  
Kitski followed Meander's gaze to a human -- Well, not exactly. Most humans didn't have tails. This particular being wore grey pants that looked far more casual than former, with a black vest. He wore large, greyish boots, and grey gloves. His shoulder-length blonde hair was in a halfway decent state, though not exactly perfect. Kitski couldn't help but smile.  
"Oh, that's Zidane, the Queen's boyfriend. Apparently she couldn't convince him to dress very formal," Kitski said calmly.  
"Boyfriend?" Meander asked nervously.  
"Oh, hush. He doesn't even know you. Why would he be after you?" Kitski asked.  
Meander did not respond, but Kitski saw his gaze flicker to something else. She followed it, and found him to be staring at Eiko, who wore a lavender dress that reached just below her knees. The sleeves on this dress were completely lace, and flowery designs were sewed into the body of the dress. Lavender shoes perfected the outfit. Kitski nodded in approval; the dress was neither dull nor fancy.  
"She looks nice," Meander grunted.  
"Oh, and Freya doesn't?" Kitski asked, though she knew Meander meant well.  
"I didn't say that," Meander replied, turning his gaze to something else. "Where are her parents?"  
"Freya's parents are dead."  
"Not hers! Eiko's."  
"Oh. I'm not sure."  
"You two are insane."  
"Hello Amarant," Kitski commented without turning around. "How's the party?"  
"Annoying. I saw Fratley. Almost laughed; he looks hilarious in a formal outfit," Amarant replied.  
"It's not a tuxedo, is it?" Meander asked.  
"No, thankfully, he didn't go that far," Amarant grunted, leaning against the cherry tree.  
"Freya looks nice enough, don't you think, Amarant?" Kitski asked.  
Amarant didn't respond, causing Kitski to grin. Meander saw the grin and rolled his eyes, but said nothing. He instead stared through the bushes, as if trying to see something.  
"Are they starting?" he asked.  
"Oh goody, I think so," Kitski replied. "It's Wanderer, and some Burmecian holding a book."  
"Yes, then it is starting," Meander grunted just as Wanderer began to speak. "Hmmm... Perhaps we should be quiet?"  
"Why bother? I can translate what he's saying. He's basically saying what a wonderful thing it is to have two Dragon Warriors marry. Thus, this good happening is predicting a good future for the kingdom of Burmecia," Kitski explained quickly.  
Amarant, Kitski, and Meander were silent for a while. As Wanderer's speech rolled on, Kitski turned out to be correct. Her words were an exact summary of his speech.  
"You are impressive, Kitski. Physic," Meander muttered.  
"Now, may us enjoy this great day! For despite the hardships, this event proves that good days are coming for us," Wanderer finished, his words followed by a polite clap.  
"Physic, indeed," Meander repeated quietly. "Now, what is the priest going to say."  
"Ladies, gentlemen, friends, family," the priest and Kitski said at the same time, though only Kitski, Meander, and Amarant were aware of it. "We are gathered here on this most joyous occasion, to witness the joining of Freya Crescent and Fratley."  
"What? Fratley doesn't have a last name?" Meander muttered.  
"Maybe they didn't want it said?" Kitski guessed, no longer repeating the priest's words.  
"Who cares?" Amarant muttered.  
"Good point," Kitski replied.  
"The Great Dragon truly shines down upon us today," the priest continued, and Kitski was quick to pick up where he was. "On a day that shall forever stand in the heart's of everyone here--"  
"Oh Heavenly Paladin," Meander muttered. "He's boring me already!"  
"Just the same thing as at every other wedding," Kitski said. She then paused. "Hold on..."  
"In a nation forever plagued by fighting, taught to fight, romance and love are rare things to come by. While everyone is out practicing with their weapons, or making the weapons, no one seems to have time to think about the feelings we may feel for one another--" the priest continued.  
"Okay, now that is new," Kitski commented.  
"That is just plain weird," Meander muttered.  
"They're Burmecians, what do you expect?" Amarant grunted.  
It was probably a very good thing Kitski, Meander, and Amarant were far behind everyone else. Otherwise, they probably would've been heard, and kicked out. Luckily for them, their comments were unheard, and the priest continued his religious droning.  
"If I fall asleep, will you guys kill me?" Meander whispered.  
"No," Kitski replied. "I'm too busy memorizing that guy's speech."  
"You're a weird one," Amarant snapped.  
"Yet now, despite the hate we seem to encourage, this day shall prove that love does bring itself force, no matter what the situation--" The priest continued.  
"Okay," Kitski whispered, dragging out the "a".  
"I dare say even Freya looks bored," Meander muttered.  
"Not religious, I suppose," Kitski muttered back. "Oh Heavenly Paladin, please let him be done!"  
"Aren't the Great Dragon and the Heavenly Paladin the same thing?" Amarant asked.  
"Supposedly, yes," Kitski replied.  
"Then won't She be very annoyed if you are trying to stop a priest from honoring this occasion of Hers?" Amarant snorted.  
"She won't mind. She knows I'm a nutcase," Kitski whispered with a grin.  
"The priest is done, folks. He just asked Fratley to kiss the bride," Meander announced in a whisper.  
"Oh! Let's hope he trips! Oh, Gosh darn-it, he didn't," Kitski said with disappointment.  
"You are evil," Amarant whispered.  
"I know. Look at who raised me," Kitski replied.  
"I'm not -- What was that?" Meander stuttered, as a rumbling came through the ground.  
"Good question," Amarant grunted.  
The ground shuddered again, this time with more force. Kitski couldn't help but smirk as realization came over her face.  
"It's the welcoming committee," she announced as the ground gave another shudder. "Except it's very, very late."  
Just as Kitski's last words came out, the ground erupted behind him. Three puma-like creatures launched themselves out of the hole, spreading bat-like wings. They opened their mouths and hissed, showing off sharp fangs. Following the Demon Cats was a horde of Demon Dogs. Kitski wrenched herself out of the bush as she watched the demons soar over the bush and land a few inches away. They charged for the scattering crowd.  
The sound of metal scraping against metal became evident over the demon hissing. The Demon Cats launched themselves for Freya, who easily moved out of the way of the attack and punched one of the Cats in the jaw. Fratley had already kicked one to the ground. Despite their apparent calmness, however, they were quickly surprised when one Demon Cat hissed with deathly pain. It slammed into the ground, an emerald sword stuck in its head. Holding the silver hilt tightly were two pale, lightly scarred hands with long, sharp nails.  
Meander wrenched his sword from the dead Cat's head. Another Demon Cat tackled him to the ground, its massive paws on the demon hybrid's shoulders. It hissed and moved to rip Meander's face apart, but Meander put his hands on the Cat's side and shoved it aside. He grabbed his sword, and suddenly leapt into the air, causing the ashen-colored Cat to hiss angrily, its fur-tipped tail lashing.  
"Die, demon scum!" Meander shouted angrily, speaking in the demon tongue.  
Every single demon present became still, their eyes wide open with seeming shock. Then each one turned around to look at Meander. They hissed angrily, trashing about and baring their fangs with uttermost anger as they all surged for the human being that had insulted them.  
Kitski, blue eyes wide with panic, leapt to her feet and leapt over the bush, pulling her twin blades out from under her sleeves. Freya also started forward, as did Fratley, but most of the Burmecian backed as far away as possible. Zidane watched the demons surge toward the unknown person who he did not recognize, but he suddenly wished he had his dagger so he could help.  
Soon, however, everyone who had charged forward was forced to move back further as an explosion of fire discharged from Meander's arms and hands, which had been burning with a deadly Firaga spell. As the demon hybrid landed on his feet, he slashed open the throat of a Demon Dog who had not been fried in the flames. The remaining Demon Cat roared, spreading its ashen wings as it took to the skies. With a cat-like snarl it charged for Meander, who spun about and shoved his sword into the Cat's chest. The sword managed to fit in-between two ribs and pierce the Cat's heart. Its final breath came out in a pained hiss as Meander withdrew his sword from its chest. The Cat landed with a thud while Meander spun about and slashed the throat of another Demon Dog.  
Four Demon Dogs charged at Meander, their fangs bared in aggression. A cat-like screech came through the air, and suddenly Kitski came soaring through the air, her mouth open in a snarl. The Demi landed on the shoulders of a Demon Dog, forcing it to the ground while Kitski slashed two deep cuts in the back of its thick-skinned neck. The other Three Demon Dogs paused, confused on whether to attack the demon hybrid who had insulted them, or the Demi who had killed their companion. Meander, who was busy fending off four other Demon Dogs, could not help them choose, but Kitski could, and did. She slashed a cut in the throat of one of them, while slashing another cut into the neck of the Demon Dog she had grounded.  
One Demon Dog launched for Meander's back, but it was thrown to a ground by one of Freya's powerful fists. Zidane, the closest one nearby, slammed his foot as hard as he could on the fallen Dog's head. The Demon Dog hissed with pain, but a powerful kick from Zidane's foot caused it to quiet. Fratley kicked back another Demon Dog charging for Freya, who had grounded another Demon Dog using swift martial arts techniques. Meander's sword soon ripped open the throat of the Demon Dog Fratley had grounded, while Kitski's twin blades had cut open the throat of the one Freya had brought down.  
There were only two Demon Dogs left, and they were at a loss at who to attack. Confused, they tossed their heads about, sniffing the air with their dog-like noses. Meander rose to his full height and pointed the tip of his sword at one of the Demon Dogs.  
"Your kind is not wanted. Get out!" Meander snapped in the demon tongue.  
The Demon Dog let out a series of growls, and Meander's eyes flashed red with anger.  
"I am nothing like you, and never will be," Meander snarled in demon.  
The Demon Dog let out another series of growls, while its companion approached carefully, the spines on its back rising warningly. Meander snarled, revealing his own sharp fangs, while he spun his sword about. Kitski rose to her full height.  
"Out!" she commanded in demon, though it was clear she was not good with the language.  
The two Dogs charged, only to thrown back by a massive fireball. Vivi soon slipped in-between Kitski and Meander, his hands held outward. Within his hands, a fire spell was forming. Meander looked down at the little mage, then back up at the Demon Dogs, who were spitting demonic curses in Meander's direction.  
Then, suddenly, Meander charged forward and slashed open the throat of one Demon Dog. Vivi discharged his Firaga spell at the other. The force of the spell sent the Demon Dog flying out into the lake. It landed so hard against the ice that the ice broke, and suddenly the Dog was gone under the ice, stuck in the icy waters beneath.  
A long, eerie silence followed the fight. The bodies of the demons were gone, long replaced by red energy, which had long disappeared into the hole created when the demons arrived. No demon blood marked the fight, though blood gathered on Meander's face showed that there had been some battle. Wiping at the blood, four parallel cuts were revealed on Meander's face. They appeared to be the only wounds he had suffered. Kitski, Freya, and Fratley had suffered similar scratches and cuts.  
"It's all over," Meander muttered, speaking the human tongue once more.  
Suddenly, the sound of clapping filled the air. Meander and Kitski soon located the source; Freya was clapping. Fratley soon followed suit, and one by one, the crowd gathered began to clap. Kitski blinked with surprise, seeming confused, while Meander growled with worry.  
"That was amazing," Freya whispered. "If it weren't for you two, I think we'd have quite a few casualties."  
Kitski smiled slightly, while Meander growled softly, though it appeared to be with content. Soon, the clapping died away. A few Burmecians began to head toward the castle. Soon, everyone had followed suit. Meander walked over to Freya.  
"Why just us two? You and Fratley -- and that monkey-tailed fellow, too -- also helped," Meander whispered.  
"Martial arts? Kicking? Please. The most that did was ground the demons. You and Kitski were the ones who charged without fear straight into a horde of demons. Now that is amazing, more amazing that martial arts in wedding outfits," Freya replied with a light smirk. "Now, forget that. The castle holds food, and I'm hungry. Aren't you?"  
Meander winced. "Cooked food...?"  
"Oh, no! Not for you, anyway," Freya replied, surprising Meander. She grinned at the hybrid's surprise.  
Soon, the two had passed through the castle doors. Freya walked over to one of the massive tables set up on the left side of the room. She picked up a massive hunk of raw meat at the very end of the tables and tossed it to Meander, who took the meat with surprise.  
"I figured by the way you devoured that rabbit way back when that you prefer things uncooked," Freya said calmly, picking up a plate and taking some things that were not so raw from the tables.  
"Thank you," Meander muttered.  
"Not a problem," Freya said, taking a pastry and eating it in one gulp.  
Meander crept away, clutching the hunk of meat as if it were gold. Kitski smirked lightly, taking a plate and piling it with a series of meats and herbs. She looked up casually and saw Puck talking with Dominic. Judging by Dominic's face, he wasn't happy about the subject. A thought crossed Kitski's mind. She turned to Freya, who was devouring a few more pastries.  
"Where was Dominic at the ceremony?" Kitski asked.  
"He wasn't there. He was here, making sure nothing happened," Freya replied, pausing long enough between eating to speak. "Wanderer thought someone may break into the castle. Turns out he was wrong."  
"I suppose so," Kitski replied. "I wonder who will win that contest...?"  
"Oh, the Beauty one? Eiko did," Freya replied.  
"How do you know?" Kitski asked.  
Freya smirked. "The bride's always told first, so she can throw a fit then and not when it was officially announced."  
Kitski grinned lightly. "Makes enough sense."  
"Hey guys!" Puck rudely interrupted. "I found out why Dominic doesn't command things to die. It's because he murdered a bunch of people by accident when he was younger!"  
"What?" Freya began, but Puck had already ran off. She sighed. "Well, that's Puck."  
"I already knew that," Kitski said matter-of-factly. "Basically he was being harassed in his old village. Being a kid, he said the average 'Damn you'... Unfortunately for him, he really DID damn them. All 28 of them are enjoying themselves in hell now."  
"Rude of Puck to force something like that out of the kid," Freya said, glancing at Dominic. "But that's Puck..."  
"Looks like he's complaining to Wanderer about something," Kitski commented.  
"He's trying to convince Wanderer that he should be king," said a familiar voice.  
Kitski and Freya turned around to find Anita standing behind them, munching quietly on a flat cookie.  
"Not working too well, though. Wanderer refuses, for the sake of the people," Anita said calmly.  
"Sake of the people, indeed!" Freya commented, accepting a goblet of wine from a nearby Burmecian. "All we need is an immature Puck for King. He had been doing a good job, I admit, but honestly..."  
"That's what Wanderer is saying," Anita said. "Oh, and congratulations, Freya. I already found Fratley and congratulated him, so I guess I'm all set."  
Freya couldn't help but grin as she replied, "Trying your best to be polite, eh?"  
"Oh, I can be polite. It's just that when you're trying to get Puck to sit still and not make everyone uncomfortable, you don't have time to be polite," Anita replied with a grin. "Well, time to sniff out Puck... Literally."  
After sniffing the air, Anita soon had headed off. Freya watched her leave, and shook her head.  
"Crazy place, this is," Freya muttered.  
"And to think, you promised to protect it," Kitski replied.  
"I'm just as crazy as this place, then," Freya commented with a smirk.  
"I guess -- Hmmm? Music?" Kitski said, turning her gaze in the direction of the Burmecians playing flutes and harps.  
"For dancing," Freya explained, replenishing her empty goblet with wine. "And for a cheery mood. Now where's Fratley--?"  
"Right behind you?"  
"Oh!" Freya whirled around and found herself staring at her new husband. "Why didn't you say anything?"  
Fratley shrugged lightly, smiling. "Oh, no reason."  
"Dancing?" Kitski muttered. "I can't dance."  
"Neither can I, but so what?" Fratley said. "It's for fun. No contest or anything."  
"Right, but I'm too hungry to dance right now. Give me an hour," Freya said, smirking as she got more food.  
Fratley chuckled, shaking his head. "As you wish."  
"Aren't you going to eat?" Kitski asked.  
"Eventually. I'm not too hungry right now," Fratley replied, turning his gaze to the center of the room. The stone floor was clear of obstacles, its grey face easily seen. A few Burmecians had already gathered and were doing a few traditional dances that required many spins, twists, and amazing shows of footwork.  
"Zidane and Garnet joined the floor," Freya commented, but not before swallowing the food she had been chewing. "Don't recognize that dance..."  
"Just a slow dance. Common for weddings," Kitski explained.  
"So you know dances, but don't do them?" Fratley asked.  
"I've been to many parties and weddings," Kitski commented. "Well, I'm off to find Meander..."  
"Suit yourself. Just don't expect to get around very--" Freya began.  
"Freya! Hey, FREYA!" Puck's loud voice rudely cut in on Freya's sentence.  
Freya groaned, rolling her eyes. She continued to eat, not saying anything. Fratley looked over at Puck curiously.  
"What is it?" he asked.  
"I just wanted to tell her congratulations," Puck said in the best innocent voice he could muster.  
"Oh really?" Fratley asked, clearly not believing it. "Be serious, Puck."  
"Oh, fine then. I wanted to tell her that EVERYONE WANTS YOU AND FRATLEY ON THE DANCE FLOOR, GOD DAMMIT!" Puck roared.  
"I can think of a few people who wouldn't," Freya commented, her gaze flickering near Amarant, who had situated himself as close to the door leading outside as he could.  
Amarant, apparently seeing Freya look in his direction, shook his head bitterly and waved his hand, almost as if shooing her away. Freya glared at him in return, and that was the end of their friendly -- yes, friendly -- greeting. Freya looked over at Puck and shook her head.  
"Not--" she began.  
"I don't think anyone could wait. If you'd open your eyes, or at least use them properly, you'd notice everyone is waiting," Puck interrupted.  
Freya turned her gaze to the rest of the room. Indeed, a good portion of the crowd seemed to be waiting for the newly married couple to joining the fun. Freya and Fratley exchanged glances. Puck stood by impatiently, his clawed foot tapping against the ground. A light smirk came over Freya's face. She then surprised Puck by tossing her plate in his direction.  
"Thank you for ruining my dinner, but it's just as well. Come on, Fratley, before we get food thrown at us," Freya said, watching Puck rub food off his face as the ceramic plate fell to the floor with a crash.  
Fratley laughed and shook his head. "I think you've had too much wine."  
"I think you're insane," Amarant muttered. Not sticking around to watch the dancing become more intense, he disappeared outside in a flash.  
A viscous demon growl startled him. He leaped to the right and immediately drew his claws. The minute he saw who had growled, however, he couldn't help but scowl.  
"Damn it, Meander! You should know by now that I don't steal raw meat," Amarant spat.  
"Sorry," Meander growled in return, wiping blood away from his mouth. "I thought you were someone else."  
Amarant sighed deeply, calming down enough to retract his claws back into their metallic holders. He leaned against the castle's grey stone wall, watching as Meander tore another small chunk of meat from the small hunk he had left.  
"So, what's going on in there?" Meander asked, swallowing the small chunk whole.  
"Dancing." Amarant spat out the word like it was a deadly disease.  
"Ah," Meander grunted, swallowing another whole chunk of meat. "That waste of time."  
"Sounds like everyone's having fun," Amarant muttered.  
"It'll be over soon," Meander reassured as he swallowed the last of the hunk of meat. "Hopefully."  
"What? The dancing? The wedding?" Amarant asked.  
"Both... Are you happy for her?"  
"Who?"  
"Gee, smartass, who do you think?"  
Amarant began to examine his large, bluish fingers as if they were the most fascinating things on Gaia. He muttered, "I suppose."  
"Same here." Meander turned his gaze toward the inside of the castle. "I guess she'll be happy, being he's the guy of her dreams and all. But he forgot so much, and I remember when he was on Eoroqu; he's changed, damn."  
"So you knew him."  
"God damn it, I trained him! I taught him demon techniques! He forgot it all..."  
"Don't let it get to you. Fratley forgot a lot more shit than that."  
"I know." Meander sighed deeply. "But if Freya's happy with what he does remember, then there's no reason to be unhappy, I suppose."  
"I've no problem with Fratley, or at least no serious ones. But I do find it annoying that you two talk behind my back."  
Both Meander and Amarant started at hearing Freya's slightly annoyed, yet at the same time slightly amused tone. They turned to watch the woman watching them calmly with her almost seagreen eyes.  
"The two of you are humorous," she said, a smirk playing on her face.  
"You're a hell of a lot funnier," Amarant grunted.  
"In a bad way, I know," Freya said. She looked behind her. "The wedding won't end for a while, just so you know. More dancing, more eating, more talking... Another two hours of it."  
"Crap," Meander growled.  
"Your teeth are bloody," Freya commented casually. "You should get some water and wash it off."  
"Or maybe I'll bite you and make it worse," Meander said, baring his fangs in a teasing way.  
"I'm scared," Freya said sarcastically. She then looked over at Amarant. "If you don't wish to stick around, you can go. Same with you, Meander. I imagine some others may leave early."  
Meander and Amarant exchanged surprised glances. They then looked over at Freya.  
"Seriou--" Amarant began.  
"FREYA!" Eiko chirped, dashing over to Freya and tugging on her arm to get her attention. "Congratulations! Oh, and Garnet and Zidane want to wish you congratulations too. Come on, quick talking to those two deadweights! Let's go!"  
Freya gave an apologetic glance to Meander and Amarant. Amarant scowled at Eiko, while Meander smirked as he rose to his feet. Freya and Eiko soon disappeared into the castle, while Meander and Amarant glanced at each other.  
"How about we leave, not just the wedding, but the whole shitty city?" Amarant asked.  
"I was going to ask you the same thing," Meander replied with a smirk. "Let's go. Kitski will catch up."  
Meander headed off ahead, his tail scraping against the stone and creating a racket. Amarant stepped a few feet forward, then looked at the castle behind him. He smirked every slightly.  
"Congratulations, you rat," he muttered, his words directed at Freya. His tone could be described as affectionate, or at least in Amarant's terms.  
With that, he turned around and followed Meander, as the two headed out of the City of Eternal Rain.  
  
"Freya! Good to see you alive!" Zidane said jokingly, turning to Freya with a grin.  
Freya couldn't help but laugh while she replied, "Oh yes, alive, and barely managing it! Tell me, Zidane, how are you doing? Being a lazy bum?"  
"No, not really," Zidane said. "Actually, I've been busy..."  
"Busy? I've been doing more work than you!" Garnet declared, hands on her hips while she glowered lovingly at Zidane.  
"Heh," Zidane managed, chuckling while he turned his gaze to the ceiling.  
"Lazy deadweight," Freya muttered teasingly. She turned to Garnet. "And how are you, Your Highness?"  
"I'm not Your Highness in this kingdom, Freya," Garnet said, smiling. "I've been doing well. I'm trying to organize a festival to celebrate my ruling -- it's an Alexandrian thing, many citizens want it. It's taking a lot of work, though."  
"We want to add a new room to the castle," Zidane explained.  
"Another one?" Freya asked, chuckling.  
"Yeah, one specifically for special occasions and such. You know, large and roomy with room for dancing. Heck, I think it'd be much like this room!" Zidane declared, examining the main room of the Burmecian Castle.  
"But it's taking a lot of work to plan it, and get the blueprints. It'd be a great addition, but the castle doesn't seem to have enough room to fit it," Garnet said with disappointment. "So we're thinking we may have to not build it and find some other way to handle the large crowd for the festival."  
"Enough about us, though. How have you been, Freya? You figured out who was stalking you, right? Is he dead?" Zidane asked.  
"No, Zidane, we have a truce. Of course he's dead! Oh, and he was Julius," Freya said, her first sentence sarcastic.  
"Julius? I suspected Meander," Garnet mumbled.  
"Meander's a good guy. Just takes a while to get used to him," Eiko chirped loudly.  
"A long while," Freya muttered.  
"Oh, well, at least the real bad guy's dead, right?" Zidane asked.  
"Exactly," Freya agreed.  
"Well, we won't keep you any longer," Garnet said politely, having clearly spotted Regent Cid.  
"Yeah, see you later, Freya!" Zidane said, waving goodbye.  
"Bye," Freya said simply, watching the two head off.  
"Sure is great to talk with others, isn't it Freya?" Eiko chirped happily. She then suddenly bounded away, clearly chasing after Zidane.  
"Too many people, not enough voice," Freya muttered, watching Eiko leave. She looked around and disappeared outside the minute she saw no one else was watching.  
Surprisingly, it was dark. Apparently, a lot of time had passed from the beginning of the ceremony in the late afternoon, until the casual time that was taking place. Taking a deep breath, Freya enjoyed the fresh air, and the crisp scent snow brought to the air. She padded a few feet forward, and chuckled softly at seeing fresh bootprints in the snow. Amarant and Meander had moved on. Whirling around, Freya looked up at the massive, slightly curved roof of the castle. She knelt down slightly, muscles tense.  
Suddenly she leapt into the air, soaring as high as her feet could bring her in a dress. She smoothly landing on the lower roof of the castle. From there she bounced onto the main roof, and padded about carefully on it until she rested right near the recently built glass dome at the very top. Sighing contently, and happy to be away from the crowd, Freya said down and stared up at the cloudy sky. Even behind the clouds she could tell that the sun was gone. It was dark, probably about an hour after sunset. The air was cool, but not too cool, since the thick cloud cover kept in the heat.  
"This is an interesting place to find you at."  
Freya looked behind her to find Fratley leaping smoothly over the dome. He soon sat beside Freya, staring up at the sky.  
"Same to you," Freya said calmly.  
Fratley chuckled. "I came up here looking for you. I figured you'd be up here, since it's about the most quiet place you can find at a time like this."  
"Quiet... Ah, quiet," Freya whispered. "After such a group occasion, it's what I want the most."  
"It'll be over eventually," Fratley muttered, putting his arm around Freya's shoulders.  
"Eventually could mean hours," Freya replied, leaning her head against Fratley's shoulder. "I wish I could do what Amarant and Meander did.  
"And what is that?"  
"Leave."  
Fratley chuckled. "Getting tired? Bored?"  
"It was fun while it lasted. The dancing was fun, the food was great, and the ceremony was nice..."  
"Except for those demons running in and trying to bite our feet off."  
Freya laughed. "Even that was pretty nice, in a strange way."  
"Oh? You like demons trying to bite your feet off?"  
Freya gave Fratley a kiss on the cheek. "Of course not, you idiot. It's just the nice show Meander and Kitski gave."  
"That was pretty impressive. You'd think Meander would be a lot slower, and Kitski a lot less powerful." Fratley paused. "Speaking of those two goons, I didn't see them. Did they leave?"  
"Meander and Amarant did. I suppose Kitski did as well."  
"I'm surprised Amarant actually came." Fratley said these words with a snort.  
"Amarant's not as bad as he seems... Er, okay, so maybe he is an asshole, but he's a good one."  
Fratley couldn't help but laugh. "All right, Freya? That made no sense."  
Freya grinned. "Too much wine. Give me a break."  
"Wine...?"  
"Oh, gosh, Fratley, don't tell me you can't recognize wine when you see it!"  
"I'm not that bad, Freya."  
"You sure?" Freya gave Fratley's head a few light knocks with her fist. "Hmmm... Damn, I think you're right. Your head didn't cave in."  
Fratley laughed, stroking Freya's cheek. "Okay, now I know you had too much wine."  
Freya sighed softly. "You know, all the crap I've been through over the months... It was so crazy I began to lose hope at some point. I thought that even the stars had lost hope in me because everything seemed so useless. Now I feel almost foolish saying it, but I truly felt that way. Then everything just pulled together. All the friends I have... It's just amazing. Amarant, Meander, Kitski... All those people who you wouldn't expect to care actually cared."  
"The good qualities in people are sometimes hidden," Fratley muttered. He turned his gaze to the sky, and a loving smile came over his face. "Look, Freya. Even the stars find occasion to shine on your happy day."  
Freya looked over at Fratley, and saw the loving look in his blue eyes. She then looked up to the sky, noting that the snow did seem lighter. She couldn't help but smile when she saw what Fratley spoke of. For the clouds had cleared a bit, and the sky was visible.  
And there shining in the sky was a bright star, with a few others twinkling around it. The very stars that Freya had thought had given up hope on her were now shining down upon her.  
  
----- Tada! So that's the end of it all! If you couldn't tell, I had fun writing this chapter, particularly the part with the priest. And of course, one final fight scene (mwahahahaha!). So, yeah, not much to say. Just thank you for sticking around despite my obvious insanity! Thank you for reading. Thank you for reviewing. I hope you enjoyed the story.  
  
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix. 


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